


Scarlet Carnation

by KazueEmiko



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Collaboration, Dreams, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Time Skip, Pre-Time Skip, Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2020-09-23 03:00:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 50,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20332936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazueEmiko/pseuds/KazueEmiko
Summary: “Ignorance is bliss...when you know too much, you will only face worse dilemmas of your lifetime”Byleth is thrust into a difficult position. After experiencing a strange dream, the professor eventually finds herself switching between the two worlds with two very different Edelgards. Though they contrast from each other, Byleth could not help but cherish them... as they do for her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collaborative effort with Kate, also known as "datsexykiwi"! It's a real pleasure to work with her. As someone that I've known since the start of getting serious with my writing in 2012, she's one of the few writers I can happily place my trust in with creative writing. Hope you all enjoy this series! I really enjoyed writing this prologue and discussing the outline of the series with Kate! :) 
> 
> A message from Kate herself:  
Enjoy the max of angst and fluff. Have fun along with us. ;)

It was hot.

A young woman’s forehead gleam under the relentless sun, sweat dripping from her features. Her breaths were as fast as it could come and go. The dark, light armor that should have served as protection over her academic attire was in lieu of roasting her alive. She licked her cracked, bottom lip; a tinge of metal swept over her taste buds.

It was unbearably hot.

Loud, metallic screeches, horses neighing, and screams of all kinds filled the blurry background. There were a variety of sounds that would have driven out any ordinary person. This was something she was used to.

She looked down at her feet. A pool of blood stained the rocky pavement that belongs to the monastery; her metal combat boots were deep in the puddle. Evaporation in this humid and sweltering heat should have occurred in less than a few minutes. However, the ground remained moist as its source oozed plenty of crimson from his injuries. The Sword of Creator was lodged deep into the nameless soldier’s ribcage, its jagged edges slicing through all three germ layers. His facial expressions were, thankfully, overshadowed by his large steel helmet.

“...”

Byleth blinked. It had dawned upon her that she was still gripping ahold of the terrifying relic. Then, with a grunt, the older woman heard a sickening slick while removing her sword. The blade was coated in a deep shade of red. Unfortunately, it didn’t only derive from the deceased warrior. She slowed her respiration rate, her hues shifted upward at the battlefield.

Shadows shaped like fighters of all sizes and shapes ran at each other. When they collided, a black mist would swirl around as if they were dancing to the tune of death. Sparks and elemental spells would erupt from the visual attraction. Then, they would separate. They became still. This stillness would only last for a couple of seconds, however. One would showcase a noticeable trait of losing the blackness that enveloped their figures. Their identity would become public as they accept their demise.

This was surreal. Byleth’s knuckles became white as her aching limbs screamed for mercy. She can’t seem to recall her reason for being here. No matter how much the ex-mercenary mentally groveled, her brain would only pull up blanks. Still, there was one thing she was sure of: she had to be here in this battle.

“tɾo faða noi dɔn joɹhan dorja”

“...”

Archaic language thumped her eardrums. Clearly, it was something Byleth didn’t comprehend. She exhaled. The professor eventually raised her weapon once more as three more shadows crept towards her from the distance; each of them possesses one of the three shadow-cloaked weapons: a sword, a lance, and an axe. She squeezed the relic’s handle.

_‘ Is this a dream? ’_

It has to be. Not only were there supernatural elements that she could not coherently wrap her head around, but she was also the only person who retained her physical appearance. But it was vivid. The pain that singed from the sweats’ contact with her minor cuts, the wild beating of her heart against her chest plate, the aches that resonated in her worn muscles, and the fatigue that shrouded over her consciousness was a bit too realistic.

_‘ Is this really a dream? ’_

Alas, Byleth left it at that. The three unwelcome guests soon closed their distance. She lowered her head, closed her eyes, and deeply inhaled. When she exhaled, her eyelids snapped open and she flicked her wrist. Rocky debris kicked up in the air as she launched herself at the three enemies. The blade was reeled behind her back, her glare prominent.

“It’s over!”

The shadows retaliated. The lancer thrust their spearhead at her chest, the axe-wielder pulled back both arms to deliver a slamming blow, and the sword-user horizontally swiped at the professor.

Byleth pivot her feet. She sucked in her stomach and twisted her upper body. It was a fleeting moment for the spear’s tip to brush up on her heated armor. A battle cry was heard from her direction as she, with all her might, swung her weapon.

The Sword of Creator is a powerful tool during times of conflict. Parts of the blade broke apart into small chunks. It began to emit a dull glow as its razor-like edges flung outward at her enemies. They were unable to block the devastating assault. A single swing produced a multitude of traumas to their body. Splatters of red painted Byleth’s cheek. One by one, the black shell vanished without a trace as they collapsed onto the new puddle.

“...”

She lurched forward. Byleth quickly shoved her foot in front of her to prevent a fall. The young teacher was hunched over, panting; her vision was fading in and out like strobe lights. This is terribly exhausting. She slammed the relic onto the cracked pavement. Using it as support, the neon green-haired dryly swallowed and raised her head.

“...?”

There was another shadow from a few meters. Compared to most others that fill the disheveled landscape, this individual was shorter than them. A monstrous axe slashed through their existence like a hot knife through butter. Each strike brought out more fluids from their victims; dark substances flung in the air in slow motion. It was done with complete elegance and ease. This should have rung plenty of alarm bells in her head. No one should have possessed the strength to make bloodshed a visual treat. They’re a monster; a beast that should be put down. Instead, Byleth could not help but be in awe of the enigmatic person.

She could sense danger emitting from the short fighter. Fortunately, her instincts scream that the teacher has nothing to worry about. Whether Byleth’s guts are being churlish or not with her life is up for speculation. The older woman continued to observe the ephemeral bloody dance.

Just who is this shadow?

“...Huh?”

There was another dark figure spotted in Byleth’s peripheral sight. Sweat continued to fall from her face as her eyes were fixated on the new arrival. When her gaze slowly traced the shadow’s objective, her blood froze.

“?!”

Murderous beauty may have been bestowed to the shadow, but it did not prevent an unfortunate ending. Newfound energy burst through four of her limbs. The ex-mercenary scrambled towards the axe-wielder. Byleth was still unable to grasp ahold of her action’s purpose. But, just like her instincts told her about the unforgiving battle, she too had to protect this shadow.

_‘ The Divine Pulse! ’_

It was all for naught. Regardless of the amount of concentration she emphasized on the potent skill, not a speck of dust reversed to its original position on the concrete slab. Everything was still progressing forward.

_‘ Why is it not working?! ’_

There was no time.

She had no choice.

She needed to--

Byleth shoved the shadow out of the way. This threw the person off balance as their entire body stumbled sideways. Facial features were impossible to read, but the teacher could have sworn she saw a flicker of a familiar identity. She widened her eyes. The fighter extended her unoccupied hand out towards the supernatural.

There was a blunt thud pressed into her back. Then, the dull aches that plagued her tightened muscles ramped up to excruciating pain that ripped through her entire being. Byleth felt as if her spine had exploded! Just when this searing agony felt as if it could get any worse, it immediately dissipated… just like her consciousness.

* * *

“---!!”

She gasped and woke up abruptly from her bed. That was certainly a sudden transition from a bloody battle to being in a cozy bed within a tranquil atmosphere. She placed her hand onto her shoulder, remembering that pain against her back. It felt too real that she actually thought she’s dead. She wondered why would she have such a bizarre dream like that. Is it a premonition? Is it just irrational thoughts playing tricks on her dream?

“What a nightmare to have… ”

It’s about time to get up from bed towards her morning class. It’s another day she’ll be instructing the Black Eagles classroom. However, Byleth couldn’t shake the thought away about the dream she had recently. The thing is, those dreams started with being so vague she could barely remember any details of it aside from the fact she’s dreaming. Eventually, she started seeing and remembering more details as everything started to feel real. Sometimes, she would even be aware of what was happening but absolutely have no control over what was happening. She sighed and wondered what was this all about until she heard her green-haired friend speaking inside her mind.

**‘ Nightmare again? ’**

“...It has been so frequently. I’m starting to feel like I’m sleep deprived.”

**‘Too bad I couldn’t see the dream itself, but I can tell you looked uncomfortable in your sleep.’**

“...”

Byleth sighed before she changed into her signature black outfit look and lace stockings. She left her room and hid her exhaustion under her poker face like usual. She’s not that expressive according to Jeralt and her students that have been with her for a couple of weeks. She headed to her class to begin the training.

Today’s lesson plan was to teach her fellow students how to balance properly as an essential skill in the battle.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a swordsman or not. Balance is an essential skill that everyone must understand how to use it. Or else, you’ll simply put yourself at a disadvantage unnecessarily. It is both a defensive and offensive skill.”

She demonstrated how to lower the center of gravity, gripping onto the ground firmly with one’s toes. Byleth demonstrated simple actions that allowed her students to understand it without much complexity. It is one of the most difficult basics that took her years to grasp it.

“You can’t always rely on brute force. When you are on the battlefield, what determines the victor is not who’s physically stronger, but who knows how to utilize their body’s strengths better. The ladies will have an advantage due to the fact that they naturally have a lower center of gravity than men. Simple basics, but a difficult mastery.”

Byleth walked up to the dummy made from bamboo. She used the training sword and showed her students its sharpness; it wasn’t that great. It could barely cut through one. However, she will use that same blade to cut through a pack of 3 bamboo stalks in a single strike. All of the members of Black Eagles watched attentively before the young professor did not use any brute force to cut, but was able to slice through all the stalks with a single fluid motion without breaking her sword.

“If you know how to use your hip and balance well with your skills, then you are able to cut through the enemy’s armor or weapon.”

She then asked Caspar to assist her by swinging the sword with all his might at her. At first, he was reluctant to do so but Byleth asked him to trust her. In the end, he did as his professor said, and the moment he dashed and swung his training sword up into the air, ready to cut Byleth down, she swung her sword right at him too.

**KLANK**

It was Caspar’s sword that fell out from his grip and he could feel the numbness rushing through his shivering hand. Edelgard recognized it; that was the same move that she used to disarm the bandits on their first encounter.

“You can disarm, and that is enough to buy the time to strike your opponent down. Do you all understand?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Good, let’s begin the training. Go to your assigned station. I will come to check on you all individually.”

Byleth went around the group checking on her students, teaching all the fundamentals that Jeralt used to teach her when she’s simply just a kid. All of them showed perseverance and put all their effort to learn from her. After the training came to an end, she delegated one and a half spare hour for her team to focus on anything they wanted to do. Meanwhile, she will be working with three students on their private one-on-one training every time. Today, she would be checking up on Caspar, Dorothea, and Edelgard.

“Professor! Is this how you do it?”

“Not quite, you have to lower your balance a bit more.”

Byleth watched the young blue-haired boy stood his ground. She circled around him before she pushed him abruptly without him realizing it, sending him falling onto the ground.

“W-Whoa!?”

“Not good enough, Caspar. You have to relax more.”

“Gah! This is so hard...”

“Like I said, it is a difficult mastery.”

“You’re so good at it...”

“Keep practicing, Caspar. You will get there eventually.”

Finishing with the young boy, she headed to Dorothea and as expected she did slightly better than Caspar due to her natural low center of gravity. As she physically has to shift Dorothea, that made her student giggle and tease the older female.

“Oh professor, I feel so intimate when you’re touching me like that...”

“Keep the context clean, Dorothea.”

“C’mon! Just play along, will you?”

“Not when you make it sound like I’m physically violating you.”

“You’re such a fiend, professor!”

“Oh lord...”

As usual, Byleth was subjected to Dorothea’s sly tease every time she tried to teach her something, at least she’s a very studious girl that worked extremely hard or just as much as Edelgard herself. After she finished her session with her, the last remaining 20 minutes was with the head of the Black Eagles, Edelgard.

“Professor, could I test my skills?”

“I don’t mind that. What would you like me to do?”

“Please attack me, I want to do that disarming move you did.”

“Make sure you disarm me, because I won’t hold back.”

“That will be my pleasure.”

Byleth ran in and swung her sword towards Edelgard before she twisted, using her lower body as her strength to add power into her strike. That struck onto Byleth’s sword, but it didn’t manage to disarm her. However, it was enough to force the professor backward to regain her distance. Edelgard had that slight disappointment in her face as she thought she would’ve disarmed Byleth.

“That was really good. If I didn’t hold my sword tightly enough, it would’ve flew out from my hand. That was splendid, Edelgard.”

She smiled and praised her student for her amazing achievement. That made the young emperor blush slightly with contentment despite not reaching her expectations. As the tutoring session continued on, the class was finally over. Everyone slowly left the room to the dining hall for their meals whilst Edelgard was the last student to leave.

“Professor, are you by chance available at the moment?”

“What is the matter?”

“Well...I want to speak with you in person. Discuss some few matters.”

“Very well then, like usual?”

It seemed there was some secret way they communicate with each other. Edelgard nodded softly with those pink blushing cheeks that it made the professor just have to tease her a little bit. She pinched her soft silky cheeks before letting out a soft chuckle.

“You are adorable, Edelgard.”

“Stop teasing me.”

“My bad, let us go, shall we? I’m certain you brought your packed lunch.”

Bull’s eye. Edelgard did request a packed lunch earlier in the morning since it was her plan to have a private lunch session with her professor without other students around. They headed out to a quiet secluded space where there wouldn’t be many students around to spot them nor disturb their peace for lunch and tea. What they usually talk was related to their class content, especially digesting what she learned through the past week.

“Today’s class was very interesting. I had a lot of fun.”

“I’m glad you did. You’re doing really well too.”

“It is because of your guidance and training.”

“You credited me too much, Edelgard.”

“Not at all, professor.”

After they talked about their lessons, their conversation started to shift to something more casual and rather personal between the two of them. During the past weeks, Byleth was working in the Monastery as a professor, she certainly developed a special bond with Edelgard. Not sure where this is leading the two of them to, but Byleth realize she developed this sense of adoration towards the young emperor. She enjoyed her time with the young lady when it is just the two of them, it feels rather different from when they were other students in the class. As for Edelgard herself, she was clear with how she’s especially fond of the professor in a way she never ever did to anyone in her life. Byleth seemed to have a special place in her heart, but she was yet to be very honest with her selfish demands.

“I hope one day I can be as strong as you, professor.”

“I’m certain you will be.”

“...Will you be there to watch me? Being there with me?”

“I would love to. You all have a bright future up ahead and it would be a great pride and joy to watch you all grow stronger. I want to be there and see how far will you rise and shine as a future emperor of the Empire, Edelgard.”

“You promised, okay? You’ll be there with me.”

Edelgard moved in closer and began to whisper softly so no one could’ve overheard her words. Byleth didn’t reject her and only placed her hand on top of Edelgard’s hand before smiling back at her with sweet adoration.

“So, you want me there with you when you become an emperor, am I correct?”

“...I suppose if you put it bluntly like that, yes.”

“I see.”

She didn’t tease her much aside from giving a soft kiss on her forehead. That made her blush over to her ears in silence, she leaned onto her shoulder before they held each other’s hand without saying a word to each other. Byleth may have been experienced with countless battles, but she’s a novice when it comes to romance - Edelgard included. They spent their tranquil moment enjoying each other’s company before time is up. It was about time they return back to their classes.

“Edelgard, we must go.”

“Right.”

As she slowly let go of her professor, she seemed to be reluctant and it was written all over her face. Byleth picked up those hints that the young emperor wanted to do or say something.

“What’s wrong?”

“...Well, this is embarrassing.”

“...”

The professor could read her expression, and that made her giggled softly to herself before she opened her arms for the young one to come in. She ended up blushed even more with how her professor managed to read her childish mind so easily. She refrained from going in for the hug and made Byleth rather puzzled for a second.

“Ah, was that a bit too much?”

“Y-You’re such a bully, professor.”

“I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“How could you be capable of doing such things like this without being embarrassed?”

“Not sure myself, for some reason, I’m not embarrassed by it.”

“You’re truly weird, professor.”

This time she just pushed herself into Byleth’s arms and embrace her tightly. The young one buried her face onto her shoulder. That made the professor embrace her back gently. Despite the tough character she portrayed, she has this childish side that loves hugs. It was for a few seconds, but it is quite long for the two of them.

-

Byleth returned back to her room and felt so exhausted. It may have been lack of sleep she’s been having recently. She decided to go to bed early today and then she heard Sothis speaking inside her mind.

**‘ You’ve become quite fond of that girl. ’**

“Huh…?”

**‘ Just be careful, she’s still a child. ’**

“I am well aware of that. She’s an adorable student of mine.”

**‘ I wonder if it is just a student-teacher relationship you both shared. I doubt she is thinking that way about you though. I lived long enough to realize that. ’**

“Well...I don’t know what to say.”

**‘ My only warning would be, don’t give her false hopes if you’re not planning to see it through until the end. ’**

“Never thought there will be a day I got a piece of love advice you.”

**‘ Shut up, I may look young but I lived way much longer than you do, kid. ’**

“Yes, ma’am.”

Byleth gave Sothis a slight tease back but what she said was true though. She’s well aware of Edelgard’s growing feelings that may have towards her. The way she looked and sought physical comfort from her has been escalating gradually. Even though she adored Edelgard quite a bit more than several students, she wouldn’t be able to say that would make her anywhere special and different from other students like Dorothea, Caspar, Bernadette and others too. Byleth wasn’t sure herself if she would call that romantic affection that she has for Edelgard, but regardless of that, she should be careful not to give false hope to her. Rejection is painful, but what's worse than that is receiving false hopes from the one they love.

“...Thank you for the warning though, I will keep that in mind.”

She thanked Sothis back, but she didn’t respond anymore. She probably went to sleep inside Byleth or something, as usual. Thus, it was about time for her to go to bed too. As she lay down and closed her eyes...she recalled that dream was killed. For some reason, she couldn’t shake those thoughts away. As her mind slowly drifted off into the darkness, she wondered if she would have that same nightmare again this time or not...

* * *

**CAW! CAW! CAW!**

She cracked open her eyelids from the annoying sound. No matter how much she tried to will herself to stay asleep, the ridiculous noise would only increase in tempo and volume. It was almost like out of a horror tale Hubert would spook everyone with! This left her with the latter option of waking up, much to her dismay.

Through her lens, the older female stared at a blurry, brown wall. The natural twitches from her fingertips brushed upon a rather tough, granite-like surface. When she dragged her gaze upward, she found herself peering through a pile of broken pillars and stone slabs. The entire structure was acting as a small shelter for the teacher; its large hole from above provided the necessary sunlight for the woman.

“...”

Clearly, she was not in bed anymore. Just where is she?

That was the first question that popped to mind upon awakening. Byleth regained more of her consciousness as she sat up. This tactician felt a groan slip out as she pressed against her forehead. Small bits of rocks and pebbles were heard rolling off of her chest. She blinked. Then, a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face.

_‘ Okay… I’m not at the academy for s_ure. ’

Obvious deductions were noted. Byleth lowered her hand and scanned her surroundings. The placement of the materials won’t pose any threat to her life. When the professor rapped her knuckles on a torn pillar with ferocity, it hardly budged. There was also plenty of room to stand up on her feet in this secluded premise. She quickly brushed off the residue from her dirtied skirt.

_‘ ...Sothis? ’_

No response. Confuzzled, Byleth made another attempt.

_‘ Sothis… Don’t tell me you’re still sleeping. ’_

Once again, no response. The teal-haired frowned. This was especially concerning. Sothis was never the type to leave her hanging. After all, she is the only person in existence to be able to communicate and see her. There’s no doubt that the petite woman would jump at every opportunity to talk at her beck and call. (Almost like a cat!) To boot, wherever Byleth is, Sothis was always there by her side.

_‘ I’m sure I’ll figure it out later. ’_

There was no point in dwindling upon the matter. Thinking and wishing won’t bring the short woman back to her side. Besides, there are far more important matters to tend to as of right now.

Byleth eventually recognized the Sword of Creator’s presence. The weapon had laid comfortably on the cracked pavements, waiting for its master to relinquish their ownership.

_‘ I should get out of here. ’_

The ex-mercenary thought of her next course of action as she retrieved her sword. She sheathed the ancient relic back on her waist and looked up at the hole. Gauging from its distance, size, and her skillset, Byleth should be able to make it.

Knees and elbows bent, the professor jumped up and grabbed ahold of the hole’s borders. Thanks to her efforts in training with the students and remaining vigilant with her exercises, this posed little to no strain on her muscles.

Byleth popped out of the pile like a flying fish. Both of her legs straightened as she squarely plopped on the ground. Had her students witnessed this feat, they would have clapped and praised for her acrobatic endeavors!

The teal-haired’s eyes nearly boggled out of its sockets. Unfortunately, desolation was her audience.

It was so barren, and this place... It was once the defense base of the monastery. Various structures were in shambles as if someone or something had rocked this sacred area; its servitude as a protective guardian beyond its walls was fruitless. When she glanced up, the sky high above was cloudless, but consist of a sun tormenting those below with its rays of light. If there was someone worth mentioning, it’s those pesky crows that perched on the black branches of a dead tree. Six of them stared at Byleth; their beaks were clamped shut. It appears that they have a new subject to overwatch on this land.

Byleth tapped the side of her head as she examined her setting.

_‘ Just what in the world happened here…? ’_

So far, Byleth can’t see a single, notable landmark beyond the base that would pinpoint her next destination. Her shoulders and head slumped.

_‘ I have no choice but to walk around and find a village. If I remember correctly, there should be one behind this defense structure. ’_

The woman glanced over her shoulder. There was an old, architectural wooden gate that led straight to the interior of the monastery’s ground. Many small communities gathered as a way to become closer to the Church of Seiros. Past the villages and towns, the Officer’s Academy sat above the civilians. To the residents, this was a gift. To the teacher, this meant hope for human contact.

Glimmers of sweat formed on her forehead, the metallic armor she usually wears during battle beginning to rise in temperature. The instructor felt her eyebrow twitch. It was getting hot. Like, really REALLY hot.

_‘ I really should get a move on. ’_

**CAW! CAW! CAW!**

Oh, if those flocks of birds can give it a rest!

Byleth tensed her shoulders and glared at the source. The crows wildly cried out, their black wings flapping at similar intervals with their callings. They were so quiet before. What made them act up? Is it because they found her amusing? Or is she too boring of a subject for observation? She stiffened her dry lips when one of the six crows left the mass. This particular bird flew right in her direction.

_‘ Oh no! ’_

Alarmed, Byleth sidestepped. What she did not take into account after sidestepping was catching sight of the military. The small group of soldiers that appeared from the now-opened wooden gate were chattering with each other. There were five of them. One of them held onto the reins of a snow-white horse as four others respectively held lances and swords in their hands. Some laughed out loud, one nearly doubled over from the profound topic. Whatever cheery banter they had came to a screeching halt, per contra.

“...”

“?”

Upon closer inspection, Byleth noticed that they were from the Adrestian Empire.

_‘ Edelgard… ’_ Her eyes widen. _‘ Edelgard! ’_

How lucky! Meeting up with these fellow comrades meant that she could reunite with the Black Eagles! Her students must be worried sick if she had been sleeping outside of her dormitory room, even more so outside of the Officer’s Academy! Edelgard might give her a good scolding, but that’s the least of her worries!

The professor’s stoic features faintly brightened as she approached the soldiers.

“Excuse me--”

“EEK!”

Byleth nearly tumbled forward and onto her face; she caught herself in the nick of time by flailing her arms. She whipped her head towards the source.

Lo and behold, it was one of the soldiers. He stood rigid and hugged his lance. Not that he was the only one who squealed like a little girl. The other four warriors blanched at the sight of the instructor. Byleth let out a weary sigh.

“I hope you understand that your reactions really hurt me.”

“STAY AWAY!”

“...hah?”

The ex-mercenary was not one for explicitly showcasing her emotions. She just can’t seem to break out any form of expressions beyond disappointment, shock, content, and the occasional cheeky smile. In this case, she bluntly expressed bewilderment. What is wrong with them? Just because she has difficulty in showing features doesn’t mean she looks like a horror show!

Before Byleth could request for information, the five soldiers aimed their weapons at the staff member.

“Mommy, I’m so sorry for doubting you!”

“I thought you died!”

“G-GHOST!”

“What should we tell the emperor!?”

“GO BACK, YOU FIEND!”

It was a discombobulated verbiage. Byleth could not even muster the energy to say something witty right back at them. Actually-- There was no need for wittiness. The teal-haired woman unsheathed her Sword of Creator and pointed it at them. This elicited another squeal from the same male; the tip of his weapon trembled violently.

“I don’t want to do this,” she murmured. “But you leave me with no choice.”

The entire fight sequence took less than a minute, to her surprise. Perhaps fear had gotten to their nerves as their stances were out of line. Simple dodge mechanics and closing in on them made their souls fly out of their body. Byleth also made sure to use the butt end of her handle to knock the stubborn ones out. If anything, her existence made them faint!

“...”

Out of all the conflicts she had witnessed and experienced, this one has to be the most embarrassing of them all. At least it made the traverse to the inner parts of the monastery easier. This was also made possible thanks to the horse that one of the soldiers had. Unlike the horse’s owner, this creature was indifferent with respect to the instructor.

“Hope you don’t mind me borrowing him,” she mumbled under her breath. “I’ll return the horse later.”

That was something she appreciates after the ruckus this day has become. Besides, there is not a moment to waste. She must hurry back to the Officer’s Academy and reunite with her students!

The trek from the outsider borders and into the community opened up to a setting she was familiar with. Villagers and merchants occupied the roads and houses. Domestic animals greeted Byleth with their barks and yelps. Foreigners from all parts of Fodlan were frequently spotted in the midst of small crowds. This revisitation alone almost made the professor forgive and forget the incident with the soldiers earlier that day.

However, something was amiss. As the black horse slowed his pacing, she overheard one of the local merchants.

“It’s already been five years, hasn’t it?”

“Ah, yes… Five years since the fighting with the three nations has started.”

A faint sigh came from the old woman. She adjusted her hold on the cane and shook her head at the female merchant.

“I hope this war can end soon. I’ve heard Lady Edelgard has gone mad since she lost someone.”

“Who?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just a rumor.”

Byleth nearly tore the rein from pulling it back so harshly. This caused the horse to lift his front hooves up and madly kick the air. Had the creature prolonged its posture for another second, the poor mentor would have fallen off of his back. The horse threw his head upward. Evidently, the mammal fidgeted on the spot. She loosened her hold on the reins and soothingly pat his neck.

_‘ Five years… Five years?! And what war?! I don’t remember there being any conflict yesterday! ‘_ The patting slowed to a stop. _‘ This is all a dream, isn’t it? ’_

The woman retracted her hand. She proceeded to pinch her own cheek and pull on it. Pain shot up from the abrupt stretching of the epidermis. Byleth released it with watery eyes.

_‘ This isn’t a dream. ’_

Dread loomed over her head. Whatever burst of energy she had now trickled out rapidly. Byleth’s guts continuously pound against its own chest, bellowing of impending bad news. Her jawlines became prominent. So many questions boiled underneath her sturdy exterior. At any given moment, she might explode from the deadly force of her curiosity and confusion.

_‘ ...I have to see my students. ’_

Byleth flicked the reins and leaned forward, the horse galloping as fast as possible towards the tall structures.

Pristine conditions that were evident from the distance eroded its illusion the closer she got. Many of the stone blocks were blown to smithereens. Black marks discolored the once-wonderful and prestigious academy for the students and staff. It made Byleth wonder what her father, Jeralt, would say about the condition. (Not that he would have anything to say in the first place.) Maybe Rhea, Seteth, and Flayn would have had a stronger reaction towards this mess. The fact that the holy ground was stampeded all over by the force of bloodshed would be more than enough to make any devoted followers of Seiros wail for redemption.

At least the marketplace was spared, albeit the number of foreigners and refugees from other parts of the nations increased by tenfold.

“Halt!”

One of the soldiers at the main gate raised his hand. She immediately heeded to his motion and slowed the black creature. The horse tossed let out a small puff through his nostrils as the man approached the dismounted woman. His brown irises gazed upon Byleth’s. Then, his eyes widen.

“Wait… are you really…?”

“?”

She blinked.

“Oh, right! You must’ve forgotten about me already.” The man became bashful, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. A wide grin ran across his face as the helmet overshadowed his eyes. This was a complete contrast to his prior tonality; the deep voice erased with a higher pitch. “Please allow me to speak to you normally again.”

_‘ Normally? What could he possibly mean? ’_

The steel soldier saluted to Byleth.

“Greetings, Professor! I welcome you back to the monastery!”

“...Thank you.”

It was him, alright. The same fellow that had always greeted her since day one at the academy. Although military personnel were, overall, kind, none of them matched the level of generosity and sweetness as this man. His famous “Greetings, Professor!” always echoed in the back of her mind whenever she thinks of this particular soldier. Five years hardly did a number to his young features. Perhaps he had gotten more handsome instead? Byleth finds it an amusing thought to ponder about.

His smile lingered on his features as he lowered his hand.

“I knew you were alive! I’ve always had hopes that you would return to us.”

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?”

He scratched the side of his head.

“Don’t you remember? Five years ago, the Black Eagle Strike Force all witnessed your death at the hand of Lady Rhea… though I don’t know the details all too well since I wasn’t a part of that battle.”

“I’m still not following you.”

It sounds simple on paper, but when he reiterated the information, she simply responded with a blank stare.

Death? How in the world did that concept bear fruit? Unmistakably, Byleth is alive and well. The ex-mercenary curled and uncurled her fingers. Her sense of touch was still intact. She can perform basic arithmetic. Her memory hasn’t failed her so far, save it for her origin and real age. These were some of the traits that a deceased person wouldn’t retain. A dead person is anything but alive. There was also the mention of Rhea… The tactician held the side of her head. Just what does she have to do with Byleth’s lifeline?

“I could see that you’re still confused, Professor...”

“I am.”

“I suggest that you talk to the emperor about this. I’m sure Lady Edelgard will be pleased to hear of this news.”

Hearing her name caused Byleth’s heart to increase its thumping intensity. She placed a hand on her chest and formed a small smile.

“I will do that, then.”

Pleased with her answer, the gatekeeper allowed her to go through the main floors of the monastery. A step into the main floor garnered more attention than she needed. Many Adrestian Empire’s soldiers penetrated her vulnerable exterior with their piercing stares. Some became as white as a sheet. Some began to tremble at the sight of the professor. Others toughened their features. All of their reactions were anything but pleasant.

_‘ If only more of them acted like the Gatekeeper. ’_

Whispers of a ghost floated around her auditory organ. Uncertainty filled the atmosphere as she marched onward to the classrooms. She found herself standing inside one of them by the doorless entranceway. The sight of her assigned classroom for the Black Eagles still stood well after the supposed five years time gap. As for the other classrooms? Empty. Not a single soul existed in the Blue Lions and Golden Deers Houses.

Just where are the students? The premise should have never been this empty… unless they have all graduated? That was plausible since the students would have to leave the academy in pursuit of their own goals. Then again, there is also that war that was mentioned-- and Lady Rhea being the cause of her death.

Byleth cupped her own chin and lowered her head. There are too many outliers here, and she doesn’t have Sothis to confide to. She’s on her own. Her eyes narrowed. These questions and theories can’t go unanswered. Perhaps it would be best she shares this knowledge with the two people she trusts: Jeralt and Edelgard.

“Professor? Is that really you?”

Isn’t there a pleasant tinkle to that articulation. Byleth knew fully well who it was. She barely got the chance to turn around when Petra and Dorothea advanced to their mentor. The princess of Brigid gleamed and immediately reached out to grab ahold of her hand.

“Oh, Professor! How we miss you so much! I knew you were alive at all these times!”

They’ve changed so much. Both of them radiated in beauty as a blooming flower. It also appears that Dorothea had dropped the signature hat. (What a shame.) It was the warmth that she happily received. In spite of the fact that Byleth would want to contradict with her statement, the tears that flowed down her and Dorothea’s cheeks made her hold back her words. She merely nodded her head in silence.

“You know how worried you made us?” Dorothea used the back of her hand to wipe the teardrops. “When Edie told her that you died, I didn’t believe in her.”

“Yes. I am the same way too. Edelgard is wrong about that.”

“Whoa, what’s with the commotion. Both Lady Edelgard and I would like for you both to-- Teach?”

His long, luscious orange hair flowed naturally as he swooped into the room. Right next to Ferdinand, there was another familiar figure that Byleth would never mistake in her lifetime and the next. The two nobles hurried over to the small group of three. He glanced up and down at Byleth with stern features.

“Professor… is that really… you?”

That question is quite popular, isn’t it? Byleth resisted the urge to make a witty remark and, once again, nodded silently. Compared to the relief that washed over the two other females, Ferdinand crossed his arms and tilted his head.

“I do not wish to be rude, but I cannot find myself to believe that you are Byleth.”

“Ferdinand! That is extremely rude of you to say that!” Dorothea scolded. “The Professor, whom we believed was dead, is finally here with us! Isn’t that a miracle?”

“I find it hard to trust in that miracle, Dorothea. Just look at our Professor here. Don’t you find something odd about her?”

“That she doesn’t have bright green hair? Please. Physical trait can’t--”

“Dorothea, please listen to me. I cannot shake off this feeling that--”

“The professor had simply lost her power with Sothis.”

Byleth felt the regal woman’s armored hands touch her arms. Then, without warning, she embraced the teal-haired. The professor had already gotten used to hugs from Edelgard when she was young, but this one felt different somehow.

Anxiety. Fear. Loneliness.

Byleth let out a shaky exhale.

“Is that why I can’t hear Sothis anymore?”

“...yes.”

How in Fodlan did this Edelgard know about Sothis? Had she spoken to her about it previously?

“Five years have passed, and we all thought you were gone.” Edelgard parted from the hug, yet kept her hold on the older woman’s arms. She raised her head and fixated her eyes on Byleth’s. “How long I’ve waited for this moment for you to return…”

“...”

There was that five-year gap. Perhaps there were things that Byleth hadn’t remembered. Her instincts were itching to dive deeper into the logistics of that theory. Something told her that she needed to really explore that possibility. There was also the exploration of this five-year jump. So much has changed, and so much information has been left out for Byleth. She must play the catch-up game with the members of Black Eagles.

Nevertheless, that could wait. The Edelgard that stood in front of her is older and is in dire need of comfort. Byleth pulled Edelgard into another hug. With one hand holding her head, the professor pressed her lips on the top of the emperor’s head. If there were a few things that didn’t change, one of them was Edelgard’s sensitive and childish nature.

“I’m sorry I was gone for a long time.”

“All that matters is that you have returned to us, my teacher.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for giving this series a chance! Here's Chapter 1. For the sake of our collaboration effort, my co-writer and I will be alternating through who writes the chapter. (i.e. Chapter 1 is mine, Chapter 2 is hers, Chapter 3 is mine, and so forth.) If it makes anyone feel better... her part is fluff. Hope you enjoy this chapter! I enjoyed writing it. :) 
> 
> A message from Kate:  
Fluff comes later, but for now, suffer by the hands of this angst spikeball. By the way, chapter 2 is already done. ;)

Time is an intricate concept. It was amorphous, yet widely accepted as common knowledge. Alongside the topic of space, metaphysicist and scholars from various backgrounds ponder long and hard about it. Ordinary civilians and nobles too held the ability to muse about time. Everyone came to the conclusion that time is precious regardless of their statuses.

If one second is just as important, what impact does five years have?

The teal-haired evenly paced with the remaining Black Eagles; Edelgard led them around the monastery. Byleth felt the sun’s gentle rays brush upon her cheeks as her hues skimmed the premise.

Time is changing.

Everything stayed the same… almost. Destructions left piles of broken structures. Patches of grasses that happily grew at its own pace were deliberately scorched into fine particles. Classroom furniture and materials unfit for use were clumped into one heap. Additional wooden frames and ballistic weaponries plagued the surviving blueprints of the monastery. Students that once brought childish joy to the premise now introduce maturity with heavy hearts. Small chatters mulled in the background. They all came from Ferdinand, Dorothea, and Petra. Soldiers that they passed by sealed their lips at the sight of their ruler and a familiar figure. Some had the guts to even make remarks about the ex-mercenary during their presence!

“Hey, isn’t that Lady Edelgard and the Professor?”

“Yeah… wasn’t she supposed to be dead though?”

“I’ve heard.”

“Speaking of that, I was told that Brian and his friends were patrolling the outskirts when they were attacked this morning!”

“What?! By who?”

“A ghost.”

“...are you serious?”

“I am serious.”

“Oh, please. It was the Professor who knocked them out.”

Whispers eventually became audible enough to reach their ears. Not that the soldiers, visiting civilians, and staff cared much about it. If they had the chance, they would gather into one of the lecture halls and engage in heated debates! Plenty of them shared theories about the teal-haired. Some describe her as a supernatural force. Some admit that she is a hallucination. Others were hopeful for her visitation.

It was all a blur. No abstract art could capture this moment. Byleth’s jawlines became prominent as weights like sandbags were chucked on her shoulders. If she were to be honest with her feelings, she wants to find her private quarter, hole up in there, and never come out.

“I think I understand how Bernadetta feels.”

“Professor?” Edelgard glanced over at her professor. She blinked. Then, the older woman faintly smiled and looked elsewhere. “Don’t worry. I will clear up the confusion.”

“You will?”

“Of course. I’m the emperor.”

Ordinarily, Byleth would reach out and ruffle Edelgard’s hair. She would allow her fingers to run through the white locks as a cheeky smile flash.

“Aren’t you a good girl.”

Or so she would say. Instead, she felt the corner of her lips twitch. It wouldn’t be right. She cannot do that. A tender act between a teacher and a student doesn’t exist anymore. The fact that this student, who was once a house leader, who exclaimed about a monstrous desire for gorging on sweets, is now a guiding light for these souls.

Edelgard is not little anymore. She’s become a big girl-- No… She’s become a mature woman fit to lead her nation. Edelgard is now an emperor.

“...”

Byleth pressed her fingernails against the palm of her hands; a tinge of regret settled in her stomach. There was that promise she’s made with Edelgard…

Alas, her thoughts came to an abrupt screech once Petra placed a hand on her shoulder. The Brigid princess diverted her mentor’s attention to basic observations. Light-hearted stories of her interaction with the increasing number of foreigners and refugees on the monastery’s ground. It appears that she and Dorothea were quite popular with the children! Though from the corner of her eyes, Byleth’s hues caught a glimpse of the pair holding hands. Fingers intertwined, the songstress squeezed her comrade’s hand.

_‘ ...Have they always been this close before? ’_

Anyhow, they continued to traverse throughout the monastery’s ground. Much to Byleth’s optimism, most of the features she frequents were intact.

“I know you love gardening, Professor, so I’ve been trying my best to keep all of the plants watered,” Dorothea twirled her index finger in the air; a wink accompanied her action. “I took extra care with the scarlet carnation you and Edie have planted together.”

Planted? Byleth tilted her head, eyebrows arched.

_‘ I planted a flower with Edelgard…? ’_

Something wasn’t adding up. Her brain scrambled through its memory bank. It tossed and pulled on various sectors, only to no avail. The ex-mercenary rested a hand on her temple. She furrowed her brows. Without a memory of the past, we cannot operate in the present or think about the future. If her perseverance results in blanks, then how was she supposed to answer to the songstress?

“If it weren’t for you, I’m sure those flowers would have died five years ago,” Edelgard answered in her stead. She shot a glance at her teacher. There was that brilliant radiance from the noble’s direction again. “Isn’t that right, Professor?”

“...I don’t remember planting them. Not with you.”

Edelgard chuckled and temporarily cupped her own chin. “You must have forgotten. I can’t blame you as you were considered dead for five years.”

_‘ Dead… ’_

The tendons on her neck bulged, her pulse visible. She will never get used to hearing that terminology. Though they were uttered plenty of times when she was a mercenary and as an instructor, she never had the status badged on herself. Even if her ears are probably lying to her, the word “death” associated with “Byleth” was unreal. She moistened her dry lips.

_‘ This is unsettling. ’_

They entered into the shed. One of the two caregivers bowed to the group. When they spotted Byleth, their eyes widen, but silence followed. Whether it was out of respect or fear, Byleth was unable to determine the cause. At least she did not have to deal with the cannibalistic gossips.

“Professor, I think you should see them for yourself.”

Edelgard took ahold of Byleth’s hand. She carefully guided the taller female deeper into the structure. Ferdinand, Dorothea, and Petra exchanged looks. The male rubbed the back of his head with a nod. As if on cue, the other members of the Black Eagle Strike Squad from behind dissipated from the area. Responsibilities may not go anywhere, but time is unforgiving. Besides, the three unanimously agreed to let Byleth catch up with their ex-house leader alone. Nothing hurts more than being likened to a buzzing fly.

As they slipped away, Byleth slowed to a stop once she saw the flower. Scarlet carnation. A sense of familiarity, yet she continuously drew nothing from her memory bank. It was as if her instincts told her that this was a reunification necessary for both her and Edelgard.

“It’s pretty.”

Blunt compliment flung out of the teacher’s mouth. Edelgard’s ears perked as she leaned down to scrutinize the object of interest. The emperor’s fingertips soon brushed amongst the petals; her eyes were fixated on the plant.

“It has grown strong since the day we have planted.”

“Was it weak before?”

“You could say that,” the white-haired retracted her hand. “It was the slowest out of all the flowers we’ve grown, no matter how much we fertilize and water.”

“A flower that blooms the latest blooms into the most beautiful flower of them all.”

Edelgard chuckled. “I never expected to hear that from you, my teacher.”

“...”

Perhaps it was for the best that she lacks the ability to showcase her emotions. The inner turmoil would repel the Edelgard if it ever manifested. Conservant recollection stained the carnations. Byleth clenched her fists. How could she ever forget? Those were the words not only her father echoed, but she echoed too. Her first friend outside of her seclusion from the mercenaries. The first friend she’s made… Who was it? Violent, black ink actively scribbled on the child as the small Byleth took their hand. Just… who was it?

“It was something I told someone when I was young.”

Alas, the past is the past. There is no point in mulling over an event that no one could confirm. Maybe she should ask her father, Jeralt, about it. Speaking of Jeralt… Burning questions that boiled her inside threatens to leak into her other organs. It has already reached her fast-beating heart, her respiration for her lungs, and constricted parts of her stomach. Too many needs to be asked about the five-year gap. When they bid their farewells to the caregivers and parted from the shed, Byleth opened her mouth.

“I have been meaning to ask this, but where is Caspar, Bernadetta, Linhardt, and Hubert?”

“...”

The goddess must’ve pressed the pause button. The alumni had stood a few steps beyond her teacher. Standing on the brief stairways that connected the pathway of the dormitory grounds and garden, Byleth bore her eyes onto the girl’s back. Edelgard’s shoulders were tense. Back stationary, the white-haired uttered her answer.

“Caspar betrayed us.”

Caspar? That boy? The one who playfully slugged Byleth’s shoulder with every chance he’s got? The hardworking student who trained almost every day in the training ground? The noble sensitive to those he’s surrounds with?

Impossible.

That’s impossible.

Improbable.

Ridiculous.

“...that’s not right.”

Edelgard finally turned around. Those eyes were not shining. It was like a plastic doll, eyes dazed and distant. It looks as though her consciousness may have been elsewhere at this moment. Were they in her head? Or were they somewhere else? She faintly smiled as her dead gaze fixated on Byleth’s. Articulations and connotations dripped with pure disgust.

“It’s the truth. He is now fighting for Dimitri.”

“Dimitri…”

“I’ve only told you a bit about the conflict, did I?” her eyes clouded. “He has joined the Kingdom of Faerghus.”

Further explanation came to light. Ever since Byleth’s unofficial vacation into the black world for five years, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude waged war with each other. The one who initiated was none other than Edelgard von Hresvelg. She and the Black Eagle Strike Squad led the battalions into a gruesome conflict to take over the Officer’s Academy. Various members of the Knights of Seiros blockaded their pathway. Fountains of blood littered the premise. Cries for numerous deities and reasons tarnished the atmosphere. Soundwaves from projectiles and crumbling features shook the ground. It was a complete nightmare. Yet it was not for naught. Byleth was a key player just like Rhea was a key player to the church.

Rhea and other members of the Church of Seiros joined hands to defeat Edelgard. Claude acts as a middleman. No one from his side dares step foot into the rising tension with no threshold. Unfortunately, his shrewd nature paints a different light on the Leicester Alliance. Half of his nation is divided into those who support the Kingdom of Faerghus and those who support the Adrestian Empire. Winning his people over would be an impossible feat.

She must have bonked her head so hard in the battle if she could not recall ANY of these details.

“Caspar did not agree with my tactics, so he formally told me that he was leaving,” Edelgard forcefully chuckled. “Perhaps the same could be said for Bernadetta and Linhardt.”

“They also joined Dimitri?”

“Fortunately, no. Reports from our scouts told us that they are in the Leicester Alliance. It’s likely that they are seeking shelter for the past five years.”

It should have been a relief. That should have soothed the powerful organ that savagely rapped upon her chest plate. In lieu, Byleth felt her mind transcend her physical self and watched the dissolvement of her former students. Caspar, Bernadetta, and Linhardt… She gulped.

“What about Hubert?”

Edelgard’s beam faltered; her body radiated the exact opposite of confidence in aura.

“...he died.”

“...”

_‘ This has to be a nightmare. ’_

She wished to know more about his death. Alas, that would not be wise. A shadow had washed over the emperor’s features. The man who wholeheartedly devoted faith and affection to his princess… the man that fought together with her… the man’s true nature of remaining as her loyal servant… it was gone in a puff of smoke… and the older woman was not there to witness it.

“I… didn’t know.”

“It’s natural you don’t know. I bet you didn’t even know that we have Leonie, Sylvian, and Lysithea with us either.”

Leonie Pinelli and Lysithea von Ordelia from the Golden Deer House. Sylvain Jose Gautier from the Blue Lions House. Those were some surprising addition to the empire’s war efforts.

“Your father had also died.”

The teal-haired immediately placed a hand over her chest. Her vision began to strobe in and out as more information poured into her skull. There was also the news of her father’s death… Jeralt. Her throat tightened and her breaths shortened. She barely kept ahold of her heartbreak. Oh, Jeralt! The very person who had raised her since she was an infant! He had been slain by none other than Those Who Slither in the Dark! She squeezed her chest, nails scraping at the metallic plate.

“...”

She wanted to say something. Byleth’s knees nearly gave in and almost made her crumple into a disheveled heap. Not only was she absent for Hubert’s death, she was also absent for the person she calls family. Her jawlines were prominent as she rapidly blinked. How could she have forgotten? Whatever she had done in the previous battle, she shouldn’t have been careless! This vital fragment of memory should have never been forgotten!

Then, a singular chortle slipped from the other’s direction.

“Everyone is leaving me.” A solemn tear fell down Edelgard’s cheek; her body looked calm despite how tangled her mind was. The false grin became unbearably wider as shaky waves of laughter were produced in abnormal intervals. “Even you.”

“!”

Byleth immediately reached out for Edelgard. Without thinking, she pulled the girl into a tight hug. Was it to comfort the student? Or was it to comfort herself? Arms wrapped around the red noble, she brought her hand up to the girl’s head. She pressed the woman against her chest as close as possible.

“I’m sorry, Edelgard.”

“You think an apology is enough…?” she buried her face into the ex-mercenary’s bosom. The red fingers curled inward, digging the armor’s tips into Byleth’s back. Edelgard shook her head slowly. “I’ve waited five years for you. Five years…!”

“I’m sorry…”

“Do you know how much you’ve hurt me?”

“I’m so sorry…”

“It hurts...! It really hurts, Byleth!”

“I’m… so sorry…”

Agony. Sorrow. Scars. Those five years felt like hours. Those five years felt like centuries for her. Hot torrents of grief coursed down the girl’s face as her sobs became apparent.

“I’m scared of being alone again…”

Byleth felt tears prickle from the corner of her eyes. She was never one to cry. No matter the circumstances, nothing tickled her lacrimal glands. Not even the deaths of her mercenary comrades would cause her to shed a tear. The sight of her star student melting into a blubbering mess succumbs into an irresistible temptation to collapse. Accompanied by the horrific news of Jeralt’s fate?

_‘ Why…? ’_ A subdued choke crawled past her lips. _‘ Why did I wake up to this nightmare? ’_

As much as a great tremor overtook her, Byleth avoided confrontation with her own emotions. At least, for now. The shivering young lady in her grasp needed her. It would do them no good to have the two shatter into pieces at the same time. There would be no one to pick up the shards. Soft, tender hushes traveled to the noble’s eardrums as she quickly rubbed her back.

“I didn’t mean to leave you alone…” Byleth chewed her lips. “I won’t leave you alone ever again.”

None dared to move from their position. Passing soldiers and comrades spotted the two but respectfully left them to their own devices. Even Ferdinand, Dorothea, and Petra, who peered from the corner in secrecy, felt their heartstrings tug. Just like Edelgard, they wished for their Byleth to return to the monastery. The loss of their professor damaged their morales. Who knew how important the teal-haired was to their life? However, none of them were as devastated as Edelgard herself.

Rumors of her insanity held some truth to it.

A wild beast in vermillion traveling all over Fodlan. Missions granted to students like Sylvain and Leonie expanded their search in enemy territories. Frequent visitation of the historical battle between the Adrestian Empire and the Church of Seiros at Garreg Mach Monastery’s outskirts were made personally by the noble. Feminine howls instilled with misery spread across the desolated premise. Morales was driven even harder into the dirt as the war’s stalemate prolonged.

Describing this as a nightmare was an understatement.

Ferdinand lips curved downward.

What would have happened if she did not return…?

“I’m afraid Lady Edelgard would have to step down if our professor did not return,” Ferdinand mumbled to his friends indirectly. “As her advisor, if she were to continue on this pathway, I would have to forcefully remove her.”

“Thank goodness for our teacher. I wouldn’t want to see that.”

“I agree with you, Dorothea. Had the professor not come, perhaps we would have many troubles for the future.”

“What are you three doing here?”

“!!!”

Behind them, an older woman crossed her arms. Shamir sharp gaze pierced their vulnerable sides as they slowly turned to look at her. Not that they had much of a chance to fully see her. The mercenary hovered over their squatting figures. She shot a glance around the corner. A faint “huh” was heard.

“So, the professor did come back…”

The woman, who was once known as the Knights of Seiros, betrayed the organization for the sake of following one person: Byleth. She would even leave her trustworthy companion, Catherine behind. Bickers, competitions, ridiculous story time from Catherine, lustful nights they’ve shared… Those were all gone in a single day. Shamir kept her features firm as she muttered,

“You are an interesting one.”

The four eventually slithered back to the background as Byleth and Edelgard shared a private moment. It was a well-deserved reunion for the two.

**[ Some time later… ]**

“I knew you would come back, Professor.”

Sylvain’s weary smile formed as Edelgard and Byleth were approached by the tall male.

After the two had separated from the hug and spent a tender moment of easing each other’s worries, the warrior squeezed into their bubble. Alongside with him, there was Lysithea and Leonie. Almost as if on cue, the orange-hair leaped forward. She immediately tackled the ex-mercenary with a large grin. A small “oof!” came from Byleth’s mouth as her back collided with the dormitory ground’s pavement. Stars temporarily swam in her vision as the grown student squeezed her.

“I knew you would come back!” she exclaimed. “It would be a shame to have my rival stay dead.”

“Leonie! That isn’t how you should greet our professor!” Lysithea came between the two. Almost in a comedic fashion, she tore them apart from each other with a scowl. “I swear, I don’t know how to deal with people like you. Are you okay, Professor?”

“...”

Streaks of memories were aroused. Lysithea, Leonie, Sylvain… They haven’t truly changed, have they? She nodded to the white-haired and propped her upper body up. Three of them… even in the heart of war, even with their betrayal to their nations, how could they be so... cheerful?

Almost as if he had read her mind, the young man walked over to his mentor. He extended his hand.

“It’s because of you and your decision to stay with Lady Edelgard. We trust in your judgment more than our own house leader.”

After acceptance and a pull, the two were in close proximity. Like the gentleman he is, he brushed off any debris from her shoulders. Sylvain’s other hand eventually held a part of her hair’s end; his fingers slowly letting them fall back to her shoulder bit by bit. His eyes narrowed.

“I’m surprised that your hair went back to normal… Not that I didn’t like your old look. I actually prefer your original color.”

“Now that you’ve mentioned it, you’re right! Did my rival hate her new hair?”

“Ugh, I doubt that’s the reason why.”

_‘ They’re talking about my hair again... ’_

Before she could ask, a familiar figure entered into her field of vision. An older male cupped his chin, a book held in his other hand. Incoherent mumbles resonated from his throat as the staff headed in the direction of his office. His next step after the last froze mid-air. Slowly, the gray-haired individual cocked his head towards Byleth and Sylvain. His eyes nearly boggled from its socket; the person making a quick adjustment to his monocle.

“Ah-- Professor Byleth… After five, long years, you’ve finally returned to us.” That voice belonged to no one other than the researcher, Hanneman. Edelgard, Sylvain, Lysithea, and Leonie ceased their exchange at his presence. Once again, as if on cue, the three alumni outside of the Black Eagle House left; the other half were left behind. Hanneman beamed as he neared Jeralt’s child. “Can’t say that I’m not happy about that news. It’s been a while since we’ve last had any positive news.”

“It has been five years, or so I have been told.”

“You are correct. Though I must say, you do seem a bit different than I remember.”

“?”

What could he mean by that?

“Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I sense that you--”

“Professor Hanneman, I apologize, but I remember we have an urgent matter to attend to.” Abrupt. Straight to the point. Edelgard was known to be a hot knife slashing through butter. In this case, Hanneman was the butter. Byleth glanced over at the emperor. Stoic, ruthless, and displeasure were displayed on her facial features. It contradicted the image that Byleth had of her when she was a student. “I suggest you return back to your research.”

Truly a ruler to lay one’s life to.

Hanneman let out an amused hum. “Very well. If you insist.” His eyelids closed as he directed a smile at the teal-haired. “You have a good day, Professor.”

“...”

_‘ If only Sothis was here… ’_

Questions may have been answered about the gap, but there were still potholes to fill in. Although it may be impossible to cover all grounds, the next best course of action is to have as many of them treated in one day. Unfortunately, it seems that Hanneman was unable to deliver his theories to the teacher. Perhaps she should stop by his office sometime tomorrow. A faint huff came from the instructor.

“Is there something wrong with my hair?”

Edelgard raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“They kept mentioning that it was different before. Did I… Did someone dye my hair while I was asleep?”

“When you were bestowed with the powers from Sothis, your hair color had changed.”

Ah, that was right… Edelgard confirmed that Sothis’s disappearance was because she had lost her abilities with the green-haired. There was an issue with this explanation, though. Byleth had absolutely zero memory as to how she received power from the female she could only sense. If she went along with the noble’s line of reasoning, she should have been able to see Sothis by now, right? The alternate hypothesis had to be rejected due to the results.

Byleth rubbed her temple.

This was incomprehensible. News of Hubert’s and Jeralt’s deaths was beyond depressing enough. Now she had lost Sothis, and has no idea how she was flung to the future by five years. Just how perplexing can this situation get?! A migraine might just knock on her door anytime now…

“Professor?”

She snapped back to reality. The ex-mercenary’s eyes trailed over to the white-haired. Concern scribbled all over the woman’s face. This prompted the professor to retract her hand and shook her head.

“I was just thinking.”

“Thinking?”

“Yes. However, I’m afraid I might get a headache if I do so.”

“I, uh, see…”

“Anyway, what was this urgent matter we have to attend to?”

“Oh, it wasn’t THAT urgent.”

“...”

There goes that signature blank guise. The noble could not help but ease her tense shoulders. Then, she took ahold of the older woman’s hand.

“There is something we can do.”

“?”

“Say, it has been a long day for you. I know you might be tired, but would you like to have some tea with me before it gets dark?”

“Of course.”

A genuine smile blossomed on Edelgard’s face. If she could sparkle, it would illuminate the entire ground with its bright rays! Maybe it might blind Byleth’s sight too! Alas, it must be a blessing that no one possesses such nonsensical abilities. Besides, there was nothing wrong with having a little downtime. Today was an eventful day. From waking up in the outskirts of the monastery to gaining newfound knowledge of the incidents that transpired, it was a lot to take in in less than 24 hours.

The older female was taken to her own dormitory room. Usually, tea parties and private conversations were held in the field outside of the cafeteria. However, this evening was a little different. It had to be hosted elsewhere, lest they be noticed by the others. The professor may have been generally accepted by her students, but it did not mean the same for patrolling soldiers and guards. Blatant gossips would ruin a sweet moment yearned by the emperor.

Everything was still intact in her room. Destruction from the mission to reclaim the premise left the dormitories mostly untouched. To her pleasant surprise, Edelgard mentioned that she and Lysithea would take turns cleaning and tidying her bedroom. (Were they clean freaks?) Not a single centimeter of dust or debris were spotted on her supplies and furniture. At least that shaved off the rest of her evening for their sudden tea time.

“It’s surreal to have you by my side once again,” Edelgard remarked. White teacup in both hands, she allowed the steam to lazily waft into the air, her eyes fixated on her mentor. “I can only hope this doesn’t end up as a dream.”

On the mattress, Byleth lowered her cup after a sip.

“It’s surreal to have fallen asleep for five years. I hope that it is a dream.”

“You tease.”

The two females chuckled as they returned back to their drinks. Silence tailed afterward, but only momentarily.

“As you well know, I’m perfectly capable of commanding the army by myself,” the noble confessed; her thumbs rubbing among the porcelain's surface. “However, when you’re around, it’s somehow different.”

“?”

“I’m… not sure I can properly explain it. I suppose your perspective on the battlefield is simply sharper than mine--”

“You don’t need to beat around the bush.”

“Huh?”

“I know how much you’ve missed me… and I miss you too.”

There was a pregnant pause. Not even five seconds completely ticked by when redness flushed to Edelgard’s cheeks. Although her ears were hidden behind the new hairstyle and horned crown, it was obvious that they were rosy as her face. Words might express many types of emotions and might clarify them. Ergo, it might not be necessary. The vermillion female said plenty with her body. Byleth shifted her gaze away from the noble and took another sip.

“I’ve been meaning to ask this, but… you seem different.”

The remark almost instantly cooled off the heat from her face.

“I do?”

“Yes.”

“...”

Byleth forgot that her face hardly showed signs of context to her emotions. She hastily added,

“...I meant, in a good way.”

A deep and long audible breath exited out of Edelgard’s mouth. She lowered the cup and shook her head; the color pink now splashed upon her features.

“Don’t scare me like that, Professor! I thought you were disappointed in me.”

“Nonsense. Why would I be disappointed in someone that has grown up to be a beautiful emperor?”

This flirt--! Whether she was aware of it or not, Edelgard surmised she was the latter. One hand was brought up to conceal parts of her face as she mumbled incomprehensibly. Byleth is a sly woman. A really sly woman… and this is part of her that she so dearly misses.

“Still, I’m afraid I broke our promise.”

“Promise?”

Byleth nodded.

“You don’t remember? I promised to be with you when you become an emperor.”

“...I must’ve forgotten.”

How the tide has turned. Now, it was Edelgard who had forgotten about it. It was a promise that Byleth would never let it slip. Then again, it would be unfair to compare her memory lapses with Edelgard’s. Their circumstances were far too drastic to level out. Still… Byleth’s knuckles whitened as she placed the cup aside on a nearby nightstand.

“I’m sorry I missed your inauguration.”

“...That’s okay.”

A wave of drowsiness abruptly slammed into the older woman. The teal-haired felt herself yawning. She stifled it, only for the burst of air to create a strange sound effect from her trembling lips. Edelgard rose her brows and widened her hues. Shortly afterward, she began to heartfully laugh.

“Perhaps it is time we call it a day, my teacher. It has gotten dark outside.”

She was right. Their conversations, which felt like mere minutes, turned out to last until the sun fully settled. Stars twinkled in the distant as the noble got up from the mattress. She gently placed it on the same nightstand and smiled broadly.

“Good-night, Byleth.”

“Wait.”

Right when the white-haired cracked open the wooden barrier, Byleth came from behind and wrapped her arms around the student. Coziness trickled into both members as their heat was mutually shared. She rested her chin on the girl’s shoulder, her dark hues eyeing her reaction. Edelgard retained the discoloration on her cheeks; her irises flickered to the source.

“...Professor, I hope you understand that I cannot stand here forever.”

“I know.”

A squeeze. Then, she broke her hold on the ex-house leader. Regrettably, the warmth mellowed out. She glanced over her shoulder and watched her tactician wave.

“Sleep well, Edelgard.”

That was the last she saw that night. The door clicked closed and it separated the two apart. Metallic footsteps clomped on the ground until it fades into nothingness. For Byleth, she felt another yawn incoming. A deep inhale was made, and it was followed by a long exhale. She hardly bothered to cover it up.

_‘ I think I should take a bath before sleeping. ’_

There was a nearby sauna to many of the staff and students shock in the past. Now that it was occupied by the military from the Adrestian Empire, the number of participants in cleansing their soul and body should decrease. Byleth rummaged through her chest and, thankfully, found the necessary items for a deep wash.

_‘ I wish I could’ve invited Edelgard. ’_

Maybe that could be for tomorrow. After speaking to Hanneman about the matters he wanted to mention, it would be perfect to take a bath with the royal woman. It has been far too long since she had last helped each other wash. (Mostly due to Edelgard’s fear of showing off her experimental scars and surgeries from her past.) Byleth shrugged her shoulders, hung her large overcoat on the door, and walked out of her dormitory room.

_‘ Still… I can’t believe I’ve leapt five years into the future… I wonder what Sothis would have to say about that? ’_

Meanwhile, as Byleth satisfied her sanitary and sleepy demands, Edelgard promptly returned back to her dormitory room. Located on the second floor, the nobles were always granted the grandiose bedrooms commoners yearn for. They had to differentiate themselves between the lower class. It did not matter what sort of relationship they had with each other. They were of different leagues, and many made sure to make that distinguishable.

The hallway was empty. Ferdinand, who was the only other occupant, is currently absent. Perhaps this is an act from the heavens. Edelgard prefers not to answer his interrogative questions. At least, for now. It would be impossible to run away from his curiosity and uncertainty about Byleth.

**Byleth **

Clothes stripped, armors hung, and weapons deposited to their rightful place, she flopped on the mattress. Its soft materials easily cushioned her weight as she shifted. The young lady eventually laid on her side. A small candle lit the corner of her bed. Nearby, there was a dark overcoat. Close inspection reveals the necessity for stitches and improvement over its patchwork.

**Byleth **

Her fingers dug into the cloak as her white blanket draped over her naked body. Edelgard began to toy with one of the loose threads from the overcoat; the object of interest twirled in-between her index and middle. Reminiscence of her past with her professor crawled vividly in her mind. The warm touch, the hand-holding, the comforting embrace… She dryly swallowed.

“Byleth… ” she buried her face into the thick material. Patches close to her eyes moistened as a burst of exhale slipped past her lips. “Byleth, I miss you so much...”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Heya, this time I’m posting Chapter 2. I suppose, the usual saying I always do, enjoy it with us! Have fun.
> 
> KazueEmiko's A/N:  
Hope you enjoy Kate’s part! It’s nice and fluffy.

Sometimes you have a dream and it feels too real to be just a simple nightmare. Then, it makes you quite confused about what to believe in.

That was how Byleth felt when she awakens.

Sweat gleamed on her forehead as she sat up on the mattress. Fingers digging into the blanket, she examined her surroundings. It was her private quarter. Everything was still in place. However, there were a few notable observations that struck out to her. A couple of objects that had been in the room yesterday vanished; it was almost as if it had never existed. Then, there was Sothis… and that tiny girl’s features barely withheld her bewilderment.

She was utterly confused with what was happening and was welcomed with Sothis’ scream and complaints about that world. Apparently, she saw through Byleth’s eyes, but her voice couldn’t be heard.

**‘ This is just preposterous! Are you serious you couldn’t hear me?? ’**

“I swear, I tried to call out for you.”

**‘ I know you did. I heard you loud and clear, but it felt as if something was preventing me from communicating with you. ’**

The first day that Byleth woke up and returned to her world, everything that happened in that nightmare dream felt as if she was present there… along with everyone. Emotions she felt from everyone and that warm, desperate embrace from the emperor Edelgard… It lingered in her mind as if it were a reality.

After Byleth rolled out of bed, the massive amount of complaints that came from Sothis almost made the professor turn up to the first lecture late. Their exchanged continued. They had a long discussion after the lectures, came up with countless possible theories to explain the situation - but it all came to naught. They knew nothing of what was happening and why it is happening with her.

Even worse, it seems to be occurring every single day. She would return to that ‘dream-like nightmare’ where the emperor, Edelgard, waits for her. When she goes to bed… she simply returns back to her world.

It was a confirmed back and forth transition. Byleth also had to admit that she was emotionally unstable as she believed that the nightmare realm was her world. Luckily, it wasn’t. She sighed with relief, but at the same time, it didn’t help solve this mysterious shift between the realms.

**‘ This is one messed up situation we are in. I cannot believe it. ’**

“I believe we have to find answers in our own way… Maybe we might know why I keep on dreaming of that world.”

**‘ True. Doing nothing takes us nowhere. At least we have to take some action. I suspect something is off about that place… It didn’t feel like a dream, but more of another world just like ours. ’**

“Are you implying that is also another real world? Like, a parallel world.”

**‘ Not sure. However, that world is too real to simply be just a dream. ’**

Byleth couldn’t argue that back with Sothis. She agreed with how realistic everything was happening in that world. The scent, taste, touch, and sound. They were too real to be a dream. They both eventually agreed to call that world the ‘nightmare realm’ to differentiate it from their ‘real’ world.

**‘ I suggest you do not trust that adult Edelgard. She seems suspicious. ’**

“…”

**‘ Keep an eye on her. I felt like she is hiding something from us. She knows something and she’s not telling everything. ’**

“Just as much as I want to trust her… I can’t deny what you mean.”

**‘ She may be our lead. Also, please don’t have a soft spot for her too. ’**

“What do you mean?”

**‘ Don’t forget, you have your own Edelgard to take care of already. She may be Edelgard too, but they are not the same person. ’**

It felt like a slap in the face from reality.

She’s right. The more she learned about the adult Edelgard, the more she sympathized with her. However, she is not the same as the current, radiant Edelgard that’s spending time with her in the monastery.

Sothis reminded Byleth to treat them as two different people. If not, then she would end up making things worse for herself. The young disheveled green-haired girl knew how much that white-haired child meant to the professor.

**‘ It is a warning, Byleth. Be careful how much you know about that world… and that suspicious emperor. She is not your innocent Edelgard. ’**

“…Noted, thank you. I will be careful.”

**‘ A life lesson for you, kid: When you know too much… it only brings you more harm than good. Ignorance is bliss. ’**

-

About a week has gone by since that first trip to the nightmare realm. She was fortunate to have Sothis’s understanding and reliability. She became her second pair of eyes, watching her surroundings in her place when they were taken to the nightmare realm. Despite spending time catching up with the grown-up students, they were also on a hunt to figure out the truth behind their constant traveling between the two realms.

The longer and more frequent they visited the nightmare realm - the more Byleth reaffirmed her thoughts that this is another world just like her own too. The touch of the dirt, the taste of dirt and blood in the air, the scent of the flower garden, the radiant smile from her older students and warmth from Edelgard’s body.

All of them are real.

Sunday soon came by, and Byleth was able to relax a bit after a very long week of classes and practical lectures. However, some of her students wouldn’t allow that. They requested for special morning classes to fix their bad habits that they have through their training week. Byleth immediately accepted it. Spending time with her students will distract her from the nightmare realm, as well as remind herself that this is her world. As Sothis warned, she should never get the two worlds mixed up.

“That’s right, that’s how you do it.”

“Yeah! I’m getting the hang of this.”

Caspar and Ferdinand were struggling to do the exercise Byleth has been teaching them in class - the arts of body balance. Dorothea and others were able to do it well and incorporated into their fighting styles to maximize their potential.

_‘ Life and experience… can change people significantly. Anything can happen, even if it is something we never thought could possibly happen. ’_

As Byleth watched her young vibrant students, she wondered about how their destinies were completely different in the nightmare realm. With the fact that Caspar betrayed them and went to join the Blue Lions… and how Bernadetta and Linhardt left to escape with the Leicester Alliance. She wondered to herself while staring at their smiles and how close they are with their team members. She wanted them to care for each other and love one another like one big family. If there could be one lesson she could instill in them permanently, it would be to stick together.

“Professor! We have a question!”

Dorothea called out for Byleth as others gathered up and waited for her to come over. Without further ado, she drifted out from her conservative thoughts before focusing her attention on her eager students. They asked if they were doing it properly, and that’s when she had to step in to explain everything in detail to them again.

“Just be careful with it, if you were to come across those that know how to use their body balance better than you - avoid making contact with them.”

“What would happen if we did?”

Her students were curious with much more things that rooted in Byleth’s foundation training. She turned over to the young redhead boy and called him over.

“Sylvain, do you mind doing a demonstration with me?”

“Not at all. What do you need me to do?”

She asked him to attack her and so did she. That was when Byleth showed them how she managed to forcibly strike back and pushed a tall man like Sylvain back using her body strength instead of her arms. He literally lost his balance and stumbled backward a couple of steps.

“I-It felt like I just ran into a brick wall…”

“That’s when your body is stronger than your opponent. If not, then you should counterattack it by using their strength instead.”

Sylvain attacked again and this time, Byleth made contact with his sword with her own. She navigated his force passed her body. Then, she spun and took that momentum to land her blade onto his back. He tumbled forward due to Byleth’s force in addition to his own; he had lost complete control.

“The force of attack depends on the power you can take from them. Sometimes, the best way is to make them lose balance is by adding more force to their momentum.”

All of the students listened closely without further ado, including Edelgard. After the special morning session was over, it was about time the professor used her time to enjoy her day off from work. As she bid farewell to her students, a couple of students, including Edelgard, Dorothea, Bernadetta, and Hubert took their leaves. However, some stayed a little longer to have a friendly chat catching up with their lessons throughout the week.

“I hope the professor makes us play that team game again! It’s really fun.”

“I still remember the matches well. I have to admit, I learned a lot from it.”

Caspar, Leonie, and Sylvain discussed with each other in regard to the mock battle game Byleth made them do this week. Even though it was a few days ago, it felt like it just happened yesterday to all of them.

“It was a real close call between professor and Edelgard! I wish we have more matches like that with other students too. I’m certain they would have fun.”

“I like how it emphasizes the fact we all contribute equally, neither one of us is superior to another. I believe that’s the concept that the professor wants to teach us.”

Lysithea and Ferdinand stepped in to join the conversation as well. They all reminisce and discussed the matches in detail among themselves. Before the professor could leave the training ground, she had a peek at her students that were getting along well with each other.

‘ I guess it’s the same for their future selves. ’

It made her think about how Sylvain, Lysithea, and Leonie left their house leaders to join Edelgard’s cause in the nightmare realm. How coincidental. It matched with how the three recently joined their classes. Byleth felt her stomach slightly church before she left.

The correlation between the two versions was disturbing.

-///-

Byleth decided to make things a little fun for her students by dividing the class into two groups and have a friendly mock battle with each other. However, what’s different is that both sides will have to organize their own team order and they would respectively compete with the opposition that shared the same position as them. The team with the most win points would be the victor of the match. To even out the numbers and shake things up, the professor joined too.

Through the past week, it was recent news that Sylvain from Blue Lions and both Lysithea and Leonie from Golden Deers joined Byleth’s class. They’ve started to take an interest in her unique ways of teaching in class, especially after they could see significant and solid improvement among the members of the Black Eagles. Regardless of the different houses, they wouldn’t want to waste this golden opportunity because of their stubbornness.

Byleth prepared the ballots for the draw. Once everyone knew what team would they be on, the professor outlined each position and their objectives to victory. It was an interesting mix of members across the class, Byleth included.

“A total of five matches, the team that wins 3 out of 5 will be the victor.”

With each respective planned out their strategic game. It was about time they started their training. Each team submitted their order as they placed their players in each designated position they couldn’t edit. Once that was done, Byleth revealed the team orders that and their opponents. Everyone was certainly surprised and excited about the arrangement.

**Position 1:** First Attacker

> **[Team 1]** Caspar
> 
> **[Team 2]** Sylvain

**Position 2:** Wing Guard

> **[Team 1]** Leonie & Linhardt
> 
> **[Team 2]** Hubert & Petra

**Position 3:** Center Guard

> **[Team 1]** Bernadetta
> 
> **[Team 2]** Lysithea

**Position 4:** Vice-Captain

> **[Team 1]** Dorothea
> 
> **[Team 2]** Ferdinand

**Position 5:** Captain

> **[Team 1]** Byleth
> 
> **[Team 2]** Edelgard

While everyone else was discussing, the only one that seemed to be the most shocked is Edelgard. Her opponent in the “captain” position is no one other than her professor, Byleth. The teal-haired lady walked up to her and gave Edelgard a soft hit on the shoulder.

“It will be fun to fight you one-on-one. I’m looking forward to it, Edelgard.”

“…I won’t lose to you, professor.”

“That’s the spirit.”

Without further ado, they began their matches. The first match was Caspar against Sylvian. The winning conditions for all of the matches were quite simple: landing a fatal move on another opponent without harming them. All they have to do is demonstrate that they could land a killing blow on the body’s weak points. Byleth would be the judge to that and everyone trusted in her fair decisions.

“Very important, please do not injure each other. Demonstrate good sportsmanship and skills. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Very good. Let us begin the first match!”

Caspar and Sylvain stepped forward before getting into their fighting stance before Byleth signaled for the start. It could be seen that both of them have some form of good friendship with each other ever since Sylvain joined their class. Thus, they knew each other’s tricks rather well. It is a matter who would slip up first.

Not much time has passed before the results were in. After the fatal strike was delivered, Byleth called an end to the first match.

“End match. The winner is Sylvian from Edelgard’s team.”

One point added to Edelgard’s team. This pleased the princess, a nod directed at the returning student.

“First win to us, that’s a good start.”

“That was a close call! I would’ve lost if Caspar didn’t slip back there.”

Edelgard’s team continued to shower praises and welcomed Sylvian back to their side. He made their team the lead at the start of the game. Caspar, on the other hand, felt guilty for slipping at the last second and was caught off guard with Sylvian’s spear. He was disappointed in himself and apologized to the team.

“I’m sorry guys… I lost.”

The next two students exchanged glances. Then, Leonie flexed her arm as Linhardt let out a faint exhale.

“We’ll bring it up! Leave it to us.”

“Man… Let’s get it done quickly.”

Leonie and Linhardt stepped into the battle ring from Byleth’s team, followed by Hubert & Petra from Edelgard’s team.

The vermillion noble narrowed her eyes. Edelgard could see that it was her professor’s strategy to aim for the win in the second match and sacrifice the fourth match. She was expecting the professor to have placed Leonie as the “vice-captain” player, but instead, she placed Dorothea there. There was a huge gap in strength between those two students. It would be an easy win for Edelgard’s team.

However, she couldn’t let her guard down. The white-haired balled her hands into fists, her teeth gently biting her lip. Byleth was famous for changing the tide of the game to her favor without anyone aware of it… and it was as Edelgard predicted. Leonie stopped her wooden blade right on Hubert’s neck as he fell back onto the ground. Their second position is a ‘guaranteed win’ for Byleth’s team.

“…I admit defeat.”

“End match. The winner is Leonie & Linhardt from the professor’s team.”

Caspar and others welcomed their teammates that brought them victory back, and certainly, Edelgard’s team planned to get back on that in their 3rd match. Edelgard turned to her next teammate and placed her trust in the shorter girl.

“Lysithea, do your best.”

“Don’t worry, Edelgard. I’ll win.”

The confident white-haired girl stepped out into the battle ring as Bernadetta came in from Byleth’s team.

It was an interesting battle for the two. Byleth signaled for the 3rd fight to begin and both were able to use magic and long-range weapons with the winning condition of falling outside the black-marked boundaries. Simple, yet difficult.

Both of them struggled at the start, but Bernadetta was able to quickly get the hang of it. She cornered her opponent using her arrows. As she thought she’s about to win, Lysithea brought out her hidden dagger and threw it right at her opponent. That forced the purple-haired to dodge that incoming weapon with a yelp.

“Kyah!?”

“Bernadetta, be careful!”

That was more than enough time to come in close range before blasting her out from the ring with her magic. That itself made Byleth smile. That dagger… It was given to her by Edelgard to use during her fight with Bernadetta. The plan was to buy time in order to approach Bernadetta at close range. A successful result came from it after blasting her out of the boundaries.

“End match. The winner is Lysithea from Edelgard’s team.”

“That’s a second win for us!”

Edelgard’s team was motivated now that they got two wins and needed just one more. Certainly, they placed their hopes on Ferdinand to finish off the game before Edelgard could even fight in her match. Meanwhile, for Byleth’s team, they turned to Dorothea and nodded at each other.

“Let this big sister handle it for all of you. You can count on me, professor, everyone.”

“We leave it to you, Dorothea.”

As Edelgard watched the professor faintly grin, she wondered what she had up her sleeves. It was unnatural to be this calm this far into the tournament. One more lost and the game is set. Edelgard’s pondering played in the background as the two students met in the center. The fourth match was about to start with Dorothea from the professor’s team and Ferdinand from Edelgard’s team.

“Let it be known that I, Ferdinand von Aegir, won’t go easy on you just because you’re a lady.”

“What a smooth talker you are. You should worry about yourself first.”

The match began the moment they got the signal. The winning condition reverted back to land a killing blow. That would be extremely hard for Dorothea in comparison to Ferdinand, but something didn’t sit well with Edelgard. In normal situations, Edelgard would have no doubt that her strategy would guarantee their win. However, it is Byleth that they’re talking about. Her four team members slowly moved over to the professor with some curiosity and doubts on Dorothea’s win.

“Professor, would Dorothea win?”

“She will. Don’t worry.”

“But she’s against Ferdinand! Close combat is not her forte.”

“Trust her a little bit. The fact that they placed Ferdinand in this position gives us an upper hand, you know?”

“How?”

Caspar and others were confused before Byleth chuckled back. She threw back a little hint to her curious students.

“Remember how balance is very vital in a battle? It is a matter of who knows how to use better than another that will determine the victor.”

They immediately turned to look at the battle and realized how Dorothea was holding it real well against Ferdinand despite lacking offense. Though Ferdinand said he wouldn’t hold back, he couldn’t fight her mercilessly without worrying that he would accidentally harm her. He has a kind heart that cares for his friends. What would happen if he were to strike her down? Oh, that would not sit well with Ferdinand von Aegir. Because of this, Dorothea was able to dodge and parry his attacks at ease. Unpredictably, it was him that was catching his breath.

“It’s over!”

Dorothea did her first and only attack: a vertical cut. He could block that simple assault, but what surprised him was how heavy the assault was. Ferdinand’s jawlines were spotted as his blade clashed with hers. The impact was enough to make him flinch with surprise and fingers go numb for a few seconds.

“–!?”

“Ferdinand!”

It was too late for her teammates to call for his attention. The tip of Dorothea’s blade pointed right at his throat. That was the end of the match and Byleth declared the winner with that smile of confidence.

“End match. The winner is Dorothea from the professor’s team.”

“Woohoo!!”

“Told you, I will win for our team!”

Her teammates cheered with delight. Caspar and Dorothea even exchanged a fist bump out of sheer glee.

Now, both sides were in a draw and it would be the final match point between Byleth and Edelgard. The young emperor didn’t expect that kind of outcome and completely forgot about that skill they recently learned about body balance. She recalled Dorothea performed extraordinarily well in this aspect… and it wasn’t Ferdinand’s strongest forte. That was the reason why the professor picked Dorothea to be the vice-captain. Once again, the calculative side of Byleth came to light. It would be troublesome if Byleth were to be an enemy to any of them.

“It will be a match point now.”

Byleth turned to Edelgard. Before she stepped into the ring, she had asked Hubert to be the fair judge for them. The captain from another team stepped right up after her professor. Edelgard tightened her grip on her sword.

“I look forward to your fight, Edelgard.”

“I won’t lose!”

“I won’t let you win too.”

“Final match, begin!”

Hubert signaled.

It was a complete blur to their comrades; one blink and they would nearly miss the action. The commoner and noble clashed their swords with each other and swiftly attack one another without hesitation. Every time another one attacks, another would never fail to block it before counterattacking backs at them.

Everyone stared with frustration and nervousness. Edelgard was holding her ground really well against Byleth and used the lessons that she taught them for the past couple of days. She struck down on her blade and Byleth was caught off guard with how she maximizes her attack using her body weight. That forced the professor to leap away from her and Edelgard followed up without further ado.

“Yaaah!!”

Edelgard planned to disarm her once and for all, but that made Byleth crack a smirk before she swung her blade right back at her. At the instant their blade made contact, it sent back a massive amount of strain into Edelgard’s arm. It was as if the force she placed into her attack returned back to her! Byleth simply struck the same way she did to cancel out her strike completely.

“Whoa… you really caught me off guard a bit, Edelgard.”

“Ugh…!”

“How about this?”

As their wooden blades pressed into each other, she suddenly felt the overwhelming force that came through Byleth and pushed her arm back towards her body. She was able to resist that just before she could’ve been struck down. Edelgard had jumped away at a good distance as bewilderment scrawled her features.

“W-What was that…?”

“An upgraded version of what we did just now. I suppose I won’t take it easy anymore.”

Byleth dashed in and threw in multiple slashes without hesitation whilst Edelgard barely managed to parry all of them. She felt a chill down her spine as the professor started to become serious with fighting her.

“Yah!!”

The young student swung her blade at her out of defense, but that was her mistake. Before she could realize her fault, Byleth predicted her movements already and smacked her sword out from her hand. A quick toss of her leg swept the young lady out of surprise. She landed onto the ground and, before she realized it, the wooden blade rested against Edelgard’s cheek.

“End match. The winner is Professor Byleth from the professor’s team.”

Hubert called out the winner as a fair judge before Byleth extended her hand to Edelgard to pull her up from the ground. Everyone applauded them and thanked their respective opponents for the match.

This tournament-like practice seems to be a favorite past time for the students in her class. Since then, it seemed to make everyone in the class developed a good friendship with each other too. The concept of trading blows to increase one’s bond couldn’t have been any truer. As for the new additions to their group? Other students could see that the three non-Black Eagles would come to hang out with members of the Black Eagles outside of class from time to time in a casual manner. Dimitri and Claude were slightly confused about their comrades’ decisions but respected their choice. It wasn’t their place to dissuade them. Besides, if they had the option to do so, they wouldn’t hesitate to learn under Byleth too.

-///-

“I have to admit that you caught me off guard during our match, Edelgard. I don’t think I can hold back against you in a sparring match again.”

Byleth and her young rising-emperor were sitting down, having some tea and snacks in private at the professor’s quarter. Their conversations ranged in a variety of topics; the current one handling the recent tournament. They were discussing the outcomes of the match they’ve had with each other a few days ago. Until now, Edelgard wasn’t satisfied with her performance. There was just so much she can improve upon, especially with the slip up that led to her demise. Byleth praised her, regardless.

“You flatter me. It is all thanks to your guidance.”

“Take some credits. You did the hard work. Good job, Edelgard.”

Byleth patted her head, complimenting her for her achievements today despite her loss. However, the fact that she forced Byleth to become serious with her was better than defeating her when she’s taking it easy on her. That was a reward in itself. It made her looked away to hide away her red cheeks. Without further ado, they headed out to spend some time alone for lunch as usual.

“I will one day defeat you. You shouldn’t hold back against me.”

“I definitely won’t. I’m looking forward to that.”

Byleth smiled, excited to see the princess become stronger and, one day, defeat her. Soon, the two got to spend extensive time together during the weekends compared to those lunch breaks. There was just one little thing… Hubert wasn’t that happy Edelgard spent a lot of time with Byleth. Not that it mattered to the royal; she insisted on doing it anyway.

“I hope you would keep this a secret from Hubert. He doesn’t like it when I spend too much time with you.”

“That will be our little secret then.”

They sat down next to each other under the shade of the huge tree in the garden. After they had spoken about trivial matters, they moved on to talking about something more on a serious note - about their hopes and goals.

“Professor, have you ever thought about what to do after this?”

“Are you referring to my life if I was not a professor here anymore?”

“Yes, something like that.”

“That’s quite hard to say. I think it is important to focus on the present since we’re living in it right now alongside everyone… even though thinking about the future is quite important too.”

Byleth turned to the house leader. She teased by pinching her cheeks softly to catch a glimpse of Edelgard’s dumbfounded look. It was so innocent and it is to Byleth’s joy to mess with her when it was just the two of them. That way, she would get to see the Edelgard’s cute side as an ordinary girl, not as a future emperor of the Adrestian Empire.

“So, if I don’t focus on the present, then I would be missing a lot of fun teasing you.”

“P-Professor! You’re very sly, do you know that?”

“Hehe, that’s the joy I’m referring to. You’re quite adorable in your own way, Edelgard.”

She patted her head again and made Edelgard pouted a bit before she turned away. That made Byleth chuckled.

_‘ How adorable. ‘_

It wasn’t just Edelgard being herself with just Byleth alone… The professor revealed more emotions when she’s just with the young white-haired too. There was something that made it easier to loosen her guard… No, that wasn’t right. Byleth always had difficulty expressing her real thoughts and expression. Whether she felt sad or happy, none of it stirred the nerves under her features. Jeralt and Sothis were the only two that could decipher her blank features. Yet when her eyes shone and twinkled, when her lips curled upward, and when she lightly laughed, it was all thanks to a particular someone.

She took another sip of her tea and stared up into the sky. Feeling the breeze hitting her face from the open window, she decided that it would be boring to end the day like this when the weather welcomes them outdoors.

“Edelgard, let’s go outside.”

“Huh? You mean right now?”

“It would be such a waste to stay inside on such a good weather like this. Are you coming with me? If you’re not then I’ll go by myself or I may ask Dorothea to come with me—”

“I didn’t say anything about not going.”

She gave her full attention to Byleth and that made the young professor flash a smile. The young girl got up and smoothed her skirt. Her cheeks were still rosy, albeit for a very different reason. The Hresvelg certainly wanted to spend time in-person with her professor and immediately got jealous the moment Byleth mentioned other student’s name. That was one mischievous way to grab Edelgard’s attention.

“…Where are you planning to go?”

“It will be a surprise. Let’s not waste time.”

“W-Wait up, professor!”

Without further ado, Edelgard and Byleth headed towards the gates and left the monastery. The professor asked the guards to keep it a secret as they would be out for a bit. The young girl walked right after her professor before they arrived at the empty grass field that stretches out to the horizon. Edelgard thought to herself that it would be a good space for outdoor training.

“My father often takes me outdoor like this for training when I was a little child. We did all sorts of things from fun activities to serious training. It gave me a habit to come out on good weather like this for some physical activity.”

“No wonder none of us could find you during Sunday afternoons when we tried to search for you. Do you often come out here by yourself?”

“I have to hone my skills too, Edelgard. If I slack off from my training, then all of you would catch up in no time. If I don’t become stronger, then I would lack the ability to teach all of you to become stronger. Teachers must be lifelong learners or else we will be left behind by the future generations.”

After hearing that, Edelgard couldn’t help but admire the young professor for her commitment to her own training as well as instructing them with her heart out. She meant everything she said and gave it her all to each one of them in the Black Eagles classroom, including students from other houses too without bias. That’s a beautiful trait of a leader. It wouldn’t be surprising for Edelgard that, in fact, it made Byleth loved by so many students, including the princess herself.

“But… why did you bring me out here with you today?”

“…Good question. I think it is a good change in pace. It can be boring and lonely to train by yourself all the time. Besides that, I think you’ll enjoy it too. Care to join?”

After hearing how this is Byleth’s private time - her little private space from everyone else in the monastery… and the fact she invited Edelgard to join her touched her deeply. It began to make her heart race against her chest. Her cheeks flushed faintly before she glanced over to her professor and nodded firmly. The professor trust and welcomed her into her private space, and she is honored by it.

“I would be more than delighted to join you. I hope I won’t hinder you.”

“You would never be.”

They exchanged a smile with each other before Edelgard simply followed Byleth’s training regime. She couldn’t believe how strenuous these activities were and could barely catch up with her professor’s pace. She caught a glimpse of how strong Byleth was and she was far from being able to defeat her at her top form.

“Let’s play a game: a snatch game.”

She asked Edelgard to catch and snatch the handkerchief she tucked right behind her back. She could physically grab onto her and restrain her if she needed to. There are no rules, as long as Edelgard was able to steal her handkerchief, that would be her victory.

“We can consider this a mini-game for our agility and flexibility training.”

“You can really turn anything into training, professor.”

“That’s what I got used to doing as a mercenary. Every part of our lives contributes to our growth.”

“I wonder if that’s the secret to your dexterity.”

Without further ado, Edelgard simply tried to catch up with Byleth. Unfortunately, the instructor managed to dodge every incoming attack as if she knew which direction it was coming from. It made the young noble broke into a sweat before Byleth beamed back at her without fatigue.

“Do you want to end it?”

“No, I’m not done yet.”

That made Byleth chuckle as they continued their little game. The professor didn’t make it any easier for her until Edelgard threw her red cape right into her face.

“!?”

The professor wasn’t expecting it and it blocked her vision completely. She immediately smacked it out of her way with a flick of her wrist, but Edelgard had disappeared. She knew that it was all her plan and swiftly turned her head around to see the young white-haired princess reaching out to grab for her handkerchief.

“I got it!”

The older teal-haired lady quickly turned her body. However, that caused some obstructions along the way. She had twisted her figure around too fast. As a result, the young student fell on top of her. Byleth gasped, and when she angled her head up, it dawned upon her with just how close their face was from each other.

“Heh, that was a close call!”

Byleth smiled radiantly and the noble blushed horribly as she started to realize she was lying on top of the professor. She instantly pushed herself away and sat beside the professor. Hopefully, with the lack of contact, Byleth wouldn’t realize Edelgard’s throbbing heartbeat. The teal-haired lady sat up and giggled expressively with how bold Edelgard launched towards her without hesitation. She was impressed. It has been a while since she last had this much fun with someone too.

_‘ So, she could make a smile like that too… ’_

Edelgard was mesmerized by the professor’s rare giddy nature.

“That was good fun. Maybe next time, you could beat me.”

“Who said I didn’t win?”

Edelgard revealed the handkerchief in her hand and surprise painted Byleth’s features. She turned around to check. It was gone. She was a millisecond too slow with her turn because that was the split second that Edelgard snatched the handkerchief from her back. That, in fact, amused by the teacher. This exact scene reminded her of her old days when she played such games like this with her father, Jeralt.

“I beat you this time, my teacher.”

Pride puffed from Edelgard. Another flash of memory reminded Byleth of herself when she had successfully snatched the handkerchief from Jeralt for the first time. Another pat on Edelgard’s head was given, which somewhat caught the student off-guard.

“…Father and I used to play games like this. It is his way to teach me how to fight.”

“Hmm?”

“He emphasized how one must be physically strong for the battle, not the battle to become fit. He always focused on the core basics rather than the techniques. Without a solid foundation in anything, you cannot progress far.”

“Is that why your teaching style focuses on the foundation?”

“Precisely. I’d rather teach all of the basics that you need to survive rather than the flashy techniques that wouldn’t guarantee your return. I want to ensure all of you will come back home with a smile; back to those that you love. That itself is more important than anything else.”

“Professor…”

Edelgard placed a hand on her own chest. She was touched by how much the professor cared about their well-being. She poured everything into each lesson to ensure that they would become stronger - not to win - but to return back safely to the monastery…. to their loved ones at home. Hearing her stories and upbringing brought her closer to the professor. As a bonus, Edelgard was able to catch a glimpse of what kind of person she is too.

“You’re admirable, my teacher. You have such a noble soul.”

“That’s flattering me too much, Edelgard. It is just words from an ordinary mercenary.”

“No, not at all. I’m merely speaking the truth!”

There was a pause. Then, the youngster frowned.

“U-Um… Something stings…”

“Heh, it seemed someone scraped her knee.”

Byleth pointed out the wound on her knee. She probably got it from one of the falls trying to catch the mouse-like professor. Edelgard didn’t realize when she got it thanks to the adrenaline from earlier. That was embarrassing to an extent.

The professor took the handkerchief from Edelgard’s hand and covered the wound before it could get infected. She also returned her red signature cape to the young emperor.

“In addition, I have to praise you for using your cape to restrict my field of vision. I’m impressed.”

“I think I was desperate. I wanted to win without using those tactics.”

“A win is a win. A chivalrous win is an ideal, but never applicable in a real war. I did tell you to use all methods available to win, right?”

“Right…”

Edelgard had no choice but to submit to the teachings. It still felt wrong to play dirty, yet the instructor had a point. She might fully understand the weight of Byleth’s words one day. For now, she would have to swallow her victory with a bitter aftertaste.

_‘ Speaking of that… The Professor is such a hard worker. ’_

When she thought about today, normally people would spend their free time relaxing, such as reading books, listening to music, or doing literally anything that would require less brainpower. But for Byleth, she had such a unique way of relaxing on a casual Sunday afternoon: by training outdoors in the fields. Some might call her crazy. Some might call her a workaholic. Some might even ridicule her. Not to Edelgard, though. Edelgard actually envisioned Byleth to be this way. Besides, she preferred spending her free time like this with her professor. Even though it was a full-on strenuous physical workout, she enjoyed every second. After all, they are spending more time together and she gets to see Byleth in a different light than no one else did.

“Okay, shall we get back?”

“Yes–wha!? Professor!!”

In one swoop, Byleth swiftly lifted her up from the ground in a bridal style. She had no issue carrying the young lady in her arms, but Edelgard was beet red with embarrassment. Edelgard wouldn’t want the professor to feel her heart beating loudly against her chest right now. Oh, how much she wanted to knock Byleth out and run back to her quarter.

“Please, you can let me down! I can walk!”

“Don’t force yourself. Besides that, this is faster.”

“But–”

“No buts, Edelgard. Consider this as a reward for your victory. No arguments.”

“…I-If you’re insisted, but please don’t let Hubert see me like this. He wouldn’t like it.”

“Not a problem.”

Edelgard gave up and felt her ears burn, her arms around Byleth’s shoulders so she wouldn’t fall. Her heart pounded against her ribs loudly, worried if Byleth would hear it or not. The noble had to resist the temptation to mumble incoherently. She can hardly contain her embarrassment! In hopes of concealing the reaction, she leaned onto her shoulder and snuggling close to her neck. The subtle scent of fruity, plummy, grape-pop quality like jasmine tickled her nose.

“What perfume did you use? It’s rather pleasant.”

“Ah, it is blue iris. It has quite a unique scent in a way I like.”

“You like blue iris? Is that your favorite flower?”

“Yes, since I was little. What about you?”

“My favorite would be scarlet carnations.”

A few seconds of pause. The image of the flower flashed across her mind along with the gallant flame emperor. How surprising, but not at the same time.

“…Would you tell me more about it?”

“It is a special type of carnation. It is not a simple red, as it has a color closely resembling a ruby. Thus the name scarlet. This is a very unique flower that grows in a certain area in the Adestrain Empire.”

“What a unique flower.”

“Indeed. It is extremely beautiful and it is extremely rare to find nowadays.”

Byleth didn’t expect to hear it back in her world. They’re both Edelgards after all - same but different. The fact that it was so hard to grow in the monastery may be because it was specifically found in certain regions of the Adrestian Empire. She theorized that this reasoning may be the answer to the flower’s growth problem–

“Professor, you seem to be in your thoughts…”

“Ah, my bad. I was thinking of something… Scarlet carnation means devoted affection, am I correct?”

To Edelgard’s surprise, the professor knew the language of the flowers like herself. Byleth admitted to Edelgard that she read all sorts of books Jeralt brought back from the market whenever he visited different places for his job. Thus, it made her became well knowledgeable in a wide range of things and this was one of them.

While they were heading back to the monastery, they were completely engulfed in their conversation with regard to their favorite flowers.

“Do you know the meaning of blue iris?”

“If I recall… it must mean faith and hope, am I right?”

“Correct. It has a good meaning to it.”

“And it does suit you, my teacher.”

Edelgard chuckled softly before they continued chatting trivial matters while returning back to the monastery.

To the young lady, Byleth is no different from a lighthouse that serves as a guide to take her out from the darkness. Ever since she met her, Edelgard’s world became brighter and filled with faith and hope. There was never a day she never enjoyed her time in the monastery. She woke up early every day, being the first student to arrive in the morning class to greet her professor every day until now.

She was able to be truthful to herself - by Byleth’s side.

As soon as they passed through the gates, the professor still didn’t let her down and head straight to the infirmary to treat her wounds. Manuela was out of the office at the moment, so it was up to the instructor to handle this student. Edelgard was forced to behave until the very end when Byleth disinfected and clean the scratches before wrapping it up with a clean bandage.

“There you go. Everything should be well for tomorrow’s training. Please, rest well and take some of these medications to prevent any possible infection. Would you be able to handle yourself from here? After all, we do not want Hubert to spot me carrying you.”

“Yes, that’s correct. Thank you so much, professor. I had a lot of fun today and… Would it be possible if I can tag along with you again?”

Upon hearing that and seeing her genuine shyness for making such a personal request, Byleth couldn’t help but to go in to rub her head gently with a small smile.

“Of course. It would be my pleasure.”

She enjoyed spending time with Edelgard, regardless of the situation, and it seemed she felt the same towards her professor. Without further ado, Byleth bid her leave first to go prepare her lecture plans for tomorrow. But right when she straightened her posture, the voice of her student rang out.

“Professor, allow me to clean that handkerchief for you before I return it back.”

“I can clean it myself. Don’t worry.”

“No, I insist. Let me wash it for you.”

The young stubborn girl wouldn’t back down without a solid reason. If the young lady wanted to express her gratitude, Byleth wouldn’t want to stop her from that. She simply nodded and passed the bloodied handkerchief to Edelgard.

“If you insist, Edelgard. Take care of yourself and I’ll see you tomorrow morning as usual.”

“See you tomorrow and have a good rest, my teacher.”

-

As she was walking down the corridor back to her room, Byleth heard footsteps coming for her. She turned around to see that it was Hubert, Edelgard’s loyal servant and a student of the House of Black Eagles. He greeted her with a smile that was neither friendly nor sinister.

“Hello professor, you seem to be in good health.”

“I am, yes. And yourself?”

“Of course…”

He somewhat tried to make his tone sound intimidating along with his sinister stare, but it didn’t work out the way he wanted on the unfazed professor. However, when he realized that he sighed with slight disappointment before looking away from her.

“Hm, doesn’t seem intimidated.”

“Is there something wrong?”

“No, not at all. It’s just that I find myself a little concerned for your well-being. You see, Lady Edelgard has taken something of an interest in you.”

He made some good points. As expected by her loyal servant, he would obviously know about how close Edelgard has become with her. They often spent lunchtimes together if the professor was in the mood to sit outside from the cafeteria. Also, they had a number of tea-time sessions together too. But, Byleth remembered Edelgard didn’t want Hubert to know that because it would make him angry.

“…Perhaps so.”

“Don’t be flippant. There is something you need to understand the role I play here. One of many duties is to determine potential advantages and potential threats to Her Highness. If you prove yourself useful to Lady Edelgard, then all will be well. If you pose a threat… I shall have to dispose of you.”

“Dispose of me?”

That wasn’t something she was expecting to hear from him. However, she could tell from his tone that he was serious, Hubert is not the kind of man that would be joking around when it came to Lady Edelgard. He stared right back at her. From his piercing gaze, they were distrustful. The young male was also analyzing whether the professor is deemed beneficial to his lady.

“Yes. This is no joke. While I may be a student here, I am her servant first and foremost. Therefore, if untimely demise is not to your liking, you would do well to demonstrate your utility with all haste. I should warn you that I am far less compromising than Lady Edelgard. Do not be at ease merely because you stand in her good graces for the time being.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

Byleth couldn’t see a day that she would possibly betray her students, especially Edelgard. Thus, she didn’t hesitate to respond back to Hubert in a way that even surprised herself. He only curled the corner of his lips before bringing up his hand up for his chin to rest on his fingers.

“Ha! Such confidence. I’m beginning to see why you caught her eye. My family, House Vestra, has been sworn to the House Hresvelg for generations. Since the dawn of the Empire, we have worked to protect the emperor by any means necessary - both in the open and in the shadows. If you incur our wrath, you will see just what I mean.”

“I don’t mind that you watch me for all as much as you need to. I don’t have any intentions to betray Edelgard. Once I decided, I see it all the way through.”

“…I hope you live up to your words, professor.”

Hubert left without further ado before Byleth returned back to her room. She finally caught a glimpse of the loyal servant of Hresvelg. Though Hubert is her student (and one that always sat in the front row), she had never seen this side of him until now. Either way, she wasn’t even concern for her own safety by the hands of Hubert. Instead, she was grateful that the young lady has a loyal servant like him by her side.

_‘ Betrayal? That’s rather a senseless thought to have. ’_

She couldn’t even imagine that becoming a reality. No reason would be good enough to make her leave the young emperor’s side. She would never leave her side.

> **“I’m scared of being alone again…”**

The words of the older Edelgard echoed in her ear. She vigorously shook her head and recited to herself that she would never leave her young Edelgard. This is her world, and she would never leave her side. Never.

-

After she took her shower, she sat on the bed to dry the wet clumps of her teal hair before she heard Sothis spoke directly to her.

**‘ Get ready. Time to head to the nightmare realm again. ’**

“Speaking like as if we are going on a journey… even after a week, it feels like being 24 hours awake. Ironically, I don’t feel exhausted.”

**‘ Who knows how it works. But it seems you have enough rest despite the traveling. ’**

“True.”

She knew that when she woke up again, she would be in the nightmare realm once again. As she was rolling around in her bed, staring at the ceiling, she thought about the scarlet carnation. The beautiful flower she saw in the nightmare realm… and how the student Edelgard mentioned it was her favorite flower.

> **“It has grown strong since the day we have planted.”**
> 
> **“Was it weak before?”**
> 
> **“You could say that. It was the slowest out of all the flowers we’ve grown, no matter how much we fertilize and water.”**
> 
> **“A flower that blooms the latest blooms into the most beautiful flower of them all.”**
> 
> **“I never expected to hear that from you, my teacher.”**

She wondered if she should give it a shot and try to grow here in the garden. There’s a small space where she can grow at least one more plant. She began to think about the hazy memory at the back of her head. Byleth felt some sort of attachment towards the scarlet carnation. She thought to herself that she would speak to Edelgard later about planting that flower some time. It’s worth looking into it and giving it a shot.

When Edelgard was talking about it, she seemed to be reminiscing about the old days she was able to see an entire field of it. Byleth wondered, what kind of smile would Edelgard has if she was able to see that scarlet carnation again…?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, finally got the next chapter up! (In the midst of my final year in grad school, this is a blessing.) Hope you all enjoy it! :) 
> 
> Kate’s A/N: Yolo

How long has this been going on for?

This… back and forth exchange between the two worlds... It has been going on for some time. Whenever she closes her eyes, when she falls into a state of unconsciousness, she would be bolted awake to another world.

One with an older Edelgard.

One with a younger Edelgard.

They were the same person, but also not the same.

They were perfectly identical, but drastically differed.

‘_ Edelgard… ’_

It would be incorrect to surmise that Byleth has gotten used to it. Nearly a whole month crawled by on the calendar, yet her comprehension defined the situation as a trippy episode. A long, trippy episode that continuously looped.

_‘ When will this ever end? ‘_

Byleth pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead as she stood inside of the greenhouse. Slight fatigue, occasional headaches, and sporadic dizzy spells seem to have plagued the poor woman after the first week.

She narrowed her hues as the muscles from her left eye continuously twitch. Discussion with Sothis back in her world theoretically explained that her physical features may be unaffected, but the same treatment does not apply to her mentality. It was unnoticeable at first. Waking up between the realms was as natural as transferring from vehicle to vehicle. One week… two weeks… three… Then, a month. As today marked the end of the first month, Byleth was assaulted with the creeping nuisances. Her hand slid down till it vertically concealed half of her facial features.

_‘ It feels like I’m awake 24/7… ’_

There seems to be no cure for it either. Hark, it must have been a blessing that from the time she “returned” back to this dimension, she participated in nothing more than minor skirmishes! Battles hardly lasted an hour, the other side raised their white flags or were brutally eliminated in the process. Had she partaken in anything longer… Another small thud clunk against her skull. Almost as if on cue, the professor stumbled to the side as her entire vision tilted. If it weren’t for her outreached hand, she would have crashed right into a patch of flowers.

“...”

She kneeled down, lowered her head, closed her eyes, and slowed her breathing. Swirls of blackness rippled throughout the dark surroundings. Drums beat in the background, her blanketed vision pulsed in-sync with her pounding heart. She roughly scraped her nails among the ledge’s surface.

Fascination for everlasting peace and quiet found only in sleep was strong. Alas, reality was cruel and unfortunate to the teacher. Even a nap would toss her back to her own world, lest they occur at randomized parts of the day. (Comically, she had “woken” up when she was in the midst of taking a dip in the sauna!) The fact that blurred imagery inserted itself into the equation amplified her exhaustion. Flickering flames tickled her exposed skin, gentle breeze of the seawater reminds her of the great ocean, shadowed figures present with short white noise blurbs… Ambiguity is an understatement.

Byleth pursed her lips. She can’t even determine the source of the visions she’s forced to experience. Not even Sothis has the answer to it yet! Perhaps her savior would be found in death alone after all.

_‘ I don’t have much of a choice, do I. ’_

That alternative option sent a chill down her spine. Her fingers coincidentally brushed upon the scarlet carnation. She instinctively retracted her applied hand, cracked open her eyelids, and wearily gazed at the plant.

A flower that she had planted alongside with Edelgard... A flower that she still could not remember having planted alongside with Edelgard. Despite the blank card that Byleth keeps on pulling, it did not deter her from singing praises for the object of interest. The high sun’s rays made its petals glimmer with striking beauty. Conducting a basic observation had alleviated the foreign adverse effects in a matter of seconds. An exhale trembled past her partially parted lips as she grazed upon its thin petals once more.

_‘ Scarlet carnation… ’_

Byleth resisted the temptation to snap the flower’s stem. Instead, she mindlessly glossed her thumb and index finger over it.

It was a majestic piece of art. She recalled the much older lord speaking about it; a cheery disposition prominent with the subject. Every single time she returned to this realm, the white-haired would drag her professor into the greenhouse. Regardless of her teacher’s state, they would always walk into the organized greenery. No skips and no excuses. They would always arrive without fail.

_‘ She really wants me to see the flowers with her. I wonder why? ’_

Asking questions about this intriguing matter is a useless feat. First of all, despite her lack of social etiquettes, Byleth knew that a negative connotation would be implied. No matter how careful she chooses her words, they will slug Edelgard across the face. Second, it seems as though there is this odd fixation with the flowers. The ex-mercenary was not sure why, but the vermillion emperor made it a necessary part of her life to see the botanical object. She would touch the scarlet carnation, lean down, reminisce about their past, straighten her posture, turn to Byleth, and engage in a banter. Each day followed this protocol to a T.

Not even the others knew. Not even Dorothea, who was one of the few closest friends to Edelgard.

“Edie has been visiting the flowers ever since you’ve disappeared five years ago, Professor,” Dorothea remarked, a weary sigh followed. “I had originally thought she was watching over the carnations you’ve both planted. It turns out that she still visits them.”

“Is there a particular reason as to why Edelgard is so hung up on these flowers?”

When presented with this question, Dorothea shrugged her shoulders.

“I do not know the answer, Professor. All I know is that she always wanted to be alone with the carnations when you were gone.” A faint smile blossomed on the songstress, genuine like a lone sunflower in the midst of cruelty. “Perhaps it is a blessing that you came back. Now she doesn’t have to see them by herself.”

Byleth retracted her fingers from the plant.

_‘ Too bad I’m here alone. ’_

Unfortunately, Edelgard had to take her leave early. Ferdinand, Petra, and Dorothea called the emperor over for a strategic meeting. Although Byleth normally oversee and guide these alumni, Hanneman suggested that she take a break.

“You always seem so tired, Professor. I think you should relax for today.”

She remembered touching the skin beneath her eye while he strongly advised her. The ex-mercenary would normally object to such bewildering claim. Tired? Please, her physical condition is in tip-top shape. If they were to go into battle within the next minute, Byleth would be the first one in the frontline. She would have more than enough energy to slay those that stand in their way.

At least, that would be what she would do if she did not possess these obnoxious side effects. Besides, the older male seem to act as if it were in her best interest to heed his words; his firm and steady look made it impossible to counter and object.

“If only Manuela were here… She would have you checked up in no time.”

His attentive features of a wise scholar drooped. Hanneman’s vision began to metaphorically cloud as his thoughts crawled back to the other professor. Why, oh why, did Manuela side with the Kingdom of Faerghus? Out of all the quantifiable and qualitative problems he’s encountered, none of them were like this. Not a single research article or book could elaborate on the finer details of this intricate ordeal.

Did she betray him? Or did he betray her?

He shook his head. The contagious twinkle that shone behind his monocular dulled despite forming a small smile.

“Farewell, Professor. I will see you soon.”

Those were his last words before walking away and leaving Byleth all alone in the monastery’s garden. Silence followed afterward, save it for the two gardeners tending to the plants. Though the professor could have parted from the premise, she decided to stick around. Furthermore, the sun’s rays basked her figure; the temperature within her environment was at an ideal condition. (If she were to become an animal in the next life, she would not hesitate to choose a cat.) Mere minutes of serenity ticked by until it led to the present time.

“...”

She sat on the ledge opposite of the grandiose double doors. Fingers intertwined, she gazed past the open barriers. Students’ chatters and laughter had all been replaced with imperturbable guards and prideful soldiers. There were members of mercenaries outside of Jeralt’s group even present too! Byleth firmed her lips, tip of her thumbs unconsciously tapping each other. She eventually closed her eyes as a warm breeze ruffled her large overcoat and bangs.

How ironic for a diverse population with little to no similarities band together under times of war.

_‘ Edelgard really is something, isn’t she… ’_

“Professor, is that really you?”

The ex-mercenary snapped open her lids. She found herself staring at three students; all of whom were from the Blue Lions House. Aside from Sylvain, Ingrid Brandl Galatea and Mercedes von Martrtiz were present.

Byleth widen her eyes as her thumbs stilled. She remembered them… Back in her world, she had taken the time to get to know everyone. As the days crawled by, Ingrid and Mercedes explicitly hinted their interest in joining Byleth’s class. Their brilliant auras radiated whenever they spot the professor. Small talks were engaged. An occasional visit with Felix, Sylvain, and Dimitri wiggled their way into their conversations. Livelihood was an understatement once they came together. Unfortunately, it never went beyond that point. The two remained under Hanneman’s teaching; lamentations mushed in their intonation.

“Maybe one day we can join your class, Professor.”

She slowly got up from her seat, her gaze fixated on the two newcomers.

_‘ It seems in this realm, they were recruited. ’_

Then, a smile broke from Byleth. Although she had lost her father, Hubert, Caspar, Bernadetta, Linhardt, and the majority of colleagues from the Church of Seiros in this world, the fact that Ingrid and Mercedes were a part of her allies swelled a bubble deep within her chest. She placed a hand on it; a short burst of air coming from her mouth.

“You both…”

Without warning, Ingrid launched herself at the teacher.

“Professor–!”

Had it not been for the large, overgrown leaves, the warrior would have tumbled backward into the soil! Many question marks flew out of her head as Ingrid tightly hugged the professor; a torrent of tears burst through the dam in addition. This nearly gave Byleth a heart attack. Someone who is more of a knight than every knight that existed in this era has crumpled into a shriveled ball. How out of character for Ingrid!

The tactician quickly recomposed herself and closed her arms around the sobbing blonde. This caused a stronger reaction to arise from the young woman. Byleth partly opened her mouth as she began to pat her back. As Ingrid buried her face into Byleth’s chest like that of a mourning child, Mercedes clasped her hands together in the background.

“It’s a miracle that you’ve returned to us, Professor,” she softly smiled. “Although Lady Edelgard would not approve of my belief, I say that the Goddess has answered our prayers.”

“You think so, Mercedes?” Sylvain ran his fingers through his hair with a forced grin. “Frankly, I think it’s just a stroke of luck that the Professor is here.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that she was here sooner?” Ingrid parted from Byleth’s bosom. She glanced over her shoulder and shot dagger-like glares. “I would’ve hurried from the battlefield!”

“I hope you understand that it took several weeks for the messenger to deliver the news to you.”

She blinked. Soon enough, the knight released her hold on the seated ex-mercenary and approached the red-hair. Byleth merely blinked as Mercedes clasped her hands once more for another prayer. The white magus began to whisper under her breath the instant Ingrid jabbed her finger on Sylvain’s chest plate.

“Several weeks? Um, it should’ve been several days, Sylvain. You expect me to believe that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You were so busy flirting with her, weren’t you?”

“I wasn’t flirting with her! That was a guy, FYI.”

“Huh… Didn’t know you swing both directions… Can’t say that I’m surprised.”

“Ingrid!”

Their arguments escalated to a degree, but it appears that they swerved off course. Both ex-Blue Lion House members hands flailed as their banter continues. To summarize the extent of their on-going quarrel, it was like watching chipmunks go at it.

Byleth had to stifle a chuffed chuckle as she got up on her two feet. Physically, they have changed. The two females had chopped off their hair. One became a sturdy warrior. One became a combat medic. Yet mentally and spiritually, they remain true to their core. It was like a snapshot to the golden days from the Officers Academy. Someone had simply aged up the students by five years.

The professor’s chest ached, and she shifted her weight.

_‘ I have to remember Sothis’s words. ’_

This was not her world. She has no right to meddle in it. No matter how many times she had been dragged over to this realm, she must not be attached to any of these students. These students are not her students. Still… She looked over at the holy maiden. Mercedes, who had completed her small chants, felt a sharp gaze bear upon her fragile figure. The student, who was and is older than Byleth by one year, reciprocated the attention with a giggle.

Byleth curled her fingers inward, nails digging into the palm of her hand. How could she distance herself from them? They were not figments of her imagination. Everyone around her were so human. They were her students, yet they were not. They were just like Edelgard.

“Professor? How are you feeling?” She recognized the timbre of a mother in Mercedes’s voice. The magus closed their proximity until they were standing side-by-side. Although their hues occasionally swipe to the comical interactions between the two close childhood friends, their words paid utmost care to each other’s responses and well-beings. “You seem tired.”

“That isn’t the first I’ve heard from today.”

“I see…” After a period of silence, Mercedes continued. “It’s important to watch over yourself. It would be worrisome if you were to collapse.”

“I’ll try.”

“Trying isn’t good enough.”

“Okay, I will.”

The older female puffed her cheeks. However, she pushed the topic no further. Hopefully, the professor would adhere to her advice. As for the teacher, she decided to talk about another matter.

“Ingrid mentioned that you were both out on the battlefield.”

“Ah, yes. We had to scout in the Leicester Alliance for information during the past few months.”

“That explains why I didn’t see you and Ingrid when I first arrived.”

“I wish we could’ve came sooner… Though it was fortunate that we didn’t run into any enemies on the way back.”

“I see.” She briefly paused. “Mercedes, what happened these past five years?”

“Didn’t Lady Edelgard tell you everything?”

“Yes, but I wish to hear from you all,” Byleth reached out to grab the female’s hands. “I can’t imagine how much stress you’re all undergoing.”

“Professor…”

Mercedes’s exhaled, albeit with a slight tremble.

Despite the blank characteristics that adorns the ex-mercenary, Byleth has always taken steps for her students. For the maiden, it was a little odd as she is older than the woman. Hark, she even scolds Byleth! She should be the one to take initiative as a guardian to those younger than her. Yet that never occurred when it came to Byleth. Mercedes would wither into a fetal position at the comfort of the young woman’s presence. Not even Annette, her best friend, could put her at ease… No, it wasn’t that. It was because the only person she finds solace in is the person she was willing to betray her entire nation and friends... That included Annette.

She moistened her lower lip and dryly swallowed.

Where would she even begin? Being stressed is a euphemism. Another exhale. Edelgard wasn’t the only one suffering in this conflict… A gentle squeeze brought her back to the present. Banters and bickers steadily thumped upon her eardrums as she blinked rapidly. Mercedes slanted her now-sunken eyes and forced the corner of her lips to tug upward.

Ever since the Church of Seiros was overthrown at the monastery, Mercedes, Ingrid, Sylvain, Leonie, and Lysithea regrouped with Edelgard and the remainders of the Black Eagle Strike Squad. Betrayal of their house leaders and nations resonated deep to their cores. Ferocious resentment and outrage blew up on their ends; Dimitri threatened to eliminate the traitors, Claude simply accepted his fate of losing the two girls. Both house leaders were disappointed in their decisions. The reaction they received wounded them deeper than any battle injuries.

Yet they continued onward valiantly. Mutual trust spurred as the five continued to march forward hand-in-hand. They had each other. They were the only one who truly understood the anguish of betraying those they love for their beliefs.

Frankly, they do not have much in common with the new emperor’s beliefs. Sylvain and Lysithea strongly believed in the permanent removal of the Crests. They were the closest to Edelgard. Leonie promised to protect Byleth at all cost after a promise with Jeralt. She wished to become a protector for Byleth. Ingrid and Mercedes were mostly aligned with Byleth. They trusted in Byleth more so than Edelgard. Overall, what they all possess was a slimmer of hope for the one star they followed under: Byleth.

“After we were told you died, I wasn’t sure how to react.”

Grief and regret gnawed at their very soul. The star they had tailed after disappeared without a trace. Questions began to bubble deep within their chest. Unlike the Black Eagles, the five were outsiders. The only connection they’ve ever had with the Adrestian Empire’s warriors was from the tactician. Otherwise, they would never spare a glance at them. Their hands were becoming clammy as they fretted and tiptoed around their irreversible decision.

“Was it right for us to remain by Lady Edelgard’s side? We’ve thought long and hard about it together.” Mercedes began to loosen her grip on Byleth’s hands. “In the end, we decided to stay here.”

“Why?”

Strength trickled back into her fingers as she tightened her hold.

“We believed you would return to us.”

Byleth nearly bit her own tongue. Though she may lack many crucial social etiquettes, the professor is no fool… even if silence isn’t the correct answer either.

Turns out, the five’s patience paid off. The professor they’ve come to love and respect has made her comeback!

Hallelujah! It was time to rejoice!

But the time before her arrival? It was complete Hell; dark red and black discolored their flimsy visual lens.

Though Lysithea recovered from her grief and picked herself up in a matter of days, the others were not so quick. Ingrid had holed herself in the bedroom for almost a full month. Quiet sobs echoed throughout the silent nights. Sylvain began to waver between Edelgard’s mission and Dimitri’s purpose for the war. Without the teacher, his sight muddled. Leonie constantly visited Jeralt’s grave and begged for forgiveness. How could she live up to his expectations if she couldn’t even protect his child? Mercedes frequented the chapel. Day and night, she offered prayers for the eventual return of the ex-mercenary. Oh, may the goddess please grant her blessings to the unfortunate lost soul that is called their professor!

Time marched forward without pause; time and tide waits for no man. One year clocked in… two years… three… four… then five years. The glimmer of hope the five scoured desperately for was beginning to dim. Alas, the five years did not crawl by with complete inaction; Edelgard and Hubert put them to work for the empire.

Leonie, Sylvain, and Lysithea were in charge of maintaining order here at the disheveled academy. The three would stand guard, switch shifts with patrol officers, and investigate any abnormalities or suspicious activities. Many eyes were required to uphold the recently seized area. Losing it would spell a great disaster for the Adrestian Empire’s future operations.

As for Mercedes and Ingrid, they were in charge of scouting the Leicester Alliance. Although there were plans to tackle small parts of the Kingdom of Faerghus, the political climate made it impossible to execute them. The best course of action was to sniff out plots from the divided domain. Edelgard and Hubert had also decided that their skills were best suited for gathering intel. Ingrid and her pegasus could travel high above the ground and cover great lengths; Mercedes is a priest who could heal and provide necessary therapies for the battalions.

Besides, it could be seen from a mile away that Ingrid needed some time away from the monastery.

“I knew Lady Edelgard took it hard when she lost you, but the same could be said for Ingrid.”

“?”

“She took it the hardest right after Lady Edelgard. Unlike the emperor, she became mute and refuse to speak to anyone other than to us four.”

“...”

A glance was shot at the knight. Ingrid was still up and at it with Sylvain. She had pulled on his cheeks as the red-hair tried to escape from her iron clutch. Tears flowed down his cheeks in an exaggerated fashion with every stretch of his skin. Their childish nature nearly casted trickery to distract most bystanders into a pleasant illusion of a peaceful today.

Is there a reason as to why Ingrid would feel so crushed? Byleth opened her mouth, only to be cut off by Mercedes.

“Perhaps it is best that Ingrid had Sylvain with her. If it weren’t for him, I’m sure she would have starved to death in the room… Not saying that you aren’t a part of her recovery. We’re thankful that you came back.”

“What about you?” Byleth shifted attention to the priestess. “How are you feeling?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“...”

Now it was Mercedes turn to become speechless. She parted her lips… but felt inaudible, airy words pass through her trachea. She tried again. The words were now caught in her throat. In turn, she clamped her mouth shut.

How kind of Byleth… The holy maiden was always so busy caring for others, she had forgotten about herself. Mercedes demeanor made it near impossible to determine how she truly felt. No one came to her aid. Not even Lysithea, Leonie, Sylvain, and Ingrid. If they ever attempted, like Sylvain, they incorrectly concluded about her inner turmoil. This pushed her raging, emotional storm further to the backburner.

No one would understand her. Why should she try to make them understand her?

Her internal strife intensified after the following events. The loss of Byleth was one matter. She could vividly recall the goosebumps that spread throughout her exposed skin. Mercedes felt the wind knocked out of her system by an invisible punch from the tragic news. Betraying her nation was also another matter. Dimitri must be so furious by now. He had always valued loyalty and goodness in people. The fact that Mercedes must turn her back towards him and their nation created a ripple to her adopted homeland. What weighed the heaviest was the fact she turned her back towards Annette.

Annette… Annie… Her Annie.

She would have to face her soon.

Does… it mean that she has to kill Annie?

Can’t she avoid it?

No, war is not as kind as she would expect.

Can she still pray for a miracle though?

Her knuckles became as white as a sheet.

“...I’m okay.”

The tiny whisper was so quiet, Byleth nearly missed it.

“Are you sure?”

Mercedes nodded. Was she truly okay? Not really. She wished to pound her fists on the pillow and scream into it. The wailing of Annette’s name swelled within her chest too. Each passing second enhanced its effect. It would be better if she could hop on a pegasus or horse and escape into the wilderness. Somewhere far away from conflict… Just like Marianne when she disappeared with her horse since the siege of Garreg Mach, only to never return.

However, the fact that her professor, in which she had not seen in five years, took the time to worry about her well-being tampered the tempting raw offer. How selfish of Mercedes! As someone older by one year, she has a job of looking over her juniors! She even promised herself to take care of Byleth!

Still, there’s nothing wrong with falling into her teacher’s outreach arms, right...? She yearns to have someone take care of her… and it turns out that this teal-haired female fits the role perfectly.

“Thank you for coming back to us, Professor.” Their physical connection broke apart. Mercedes genuinely smiled as she slanted her eyes. “You mean so much for all of us.”

Was she really that important to their lives? Byleth’s cheeks shone a tinge of pink. Despite her disconnection with this realm, the fact that she was held up with great esteem was difficult to brush aside. These students needed her… Without the shepherd, they were nothing more than lost lambs, awaiting for their demise by the wolves’ fangs and claws.

In turn, she smiled at them. It was rare for Byleth to smile. This caused the heated debate between Sylvain and Ingrid to die down once they peeked at her direction. Whenever she smiled, it only meant positive news were to follow. Three of the Blue Lion’s House members gave their undivided attention to the professor as she motioned to them.

“I’m happy to be here for you all.”

Sylvain, Ingrid, and Mercedes simultaneously placed a hand on their chest, their eyes nearly boggled out the sockets. Those honest words nearly ceased the three’s heart functions! A light discoloration tickled Sylvain and Mercede’s cheeks. As for Ingrid, a deep shade of crimson washed over the entirety of her face. This feature did not escape their eyes, especially from someone like Sylvain. He smirked and tapped his elbow to Mercedes.

“Looks like someone’s got the hots for the teacher…”

“@#*%$!”

Incoherent sounds spouted out of Ingrid’s mouth without warning. Still as red as a beet, the short-haired tried to slug him on the shoulder. Not that it stopped him from the teasing. He simply guarded his precious man-shoulders and heartfully laughed. Both Mercedes and him eventually ushered Ingrid to have a private moment with Byleth.

“Don’t do anything naughty, okay?”

“SYLVAIN!”

“I’m sure the goddess would forgive you if such sins were to be committed.”

“MERCEDES, NOT YOU TOO!”

Ludicrously, the knight regained control of her shaky limbs and shooed them out of the greenhouse. Watching the three act immature brought another wave of nostalgia. No… nostalgia didn’t fit the bill. Her true world possess all of her students when they were young; their personalities were retained. This world simply hit the fast-forward button, yet she was not present during the time-skip. In spite of that, Byleth stared in awe at their energetic selves.

It was as if the war never occurred.

It was as if they were back to their ordinary lives.

It was a crafty illusion that clouded their senses like a quick high.

Sylvain and Mercedes understood that their banters should come to a closure for now. (They could always catch up with Ingrid later… and probably catch up on the juicy gossip.) The professor waved farewell to the duo as the knight puffed fumed. Byleth and Ingrid were left to their own device soon afterward.

“...”

Utter silence hung in the air. It did not help that there was a thick atmosphere that weighed down on their shoulders, undeterred by the group’s earlier optimism. When Byleth extended her hand out, Ingrid immediately took ahold of it. She enveloped them in her grip and placed them onto her own rosy cheek. Heat seeped into the female’s face as Byleth tilted her head from the development.

“I really miss you so much, Professor,” the blonde nestled into the tactician’s rough palm. “I thought I would never see you ever again.”

“Ingrid…”

“I know staying depressed won’t help me. Actually, it would only make matters worse. That’s what happened with my fiance’s death… But ever since Lady Edelgard reported on your death, I could not find myself to roll out of bed. It was as if I’m reliving it all over again.”

She inched closer till the tip of their nose bumped each other. Afterward, Ingrid promptly landed on the side of her face into Byleth’s shoulder. The plop nearly startled the professor, her shoulders instinctively hitched. Nevertheless, Byleth recomposed. Arms that were wide open encircled the knight in due time.

Not a single word was exchanged between the two. Just two women embracing each other into a hug. It was a tender reunion that might even rival Edelgard’s! Ingrid exhales tickled Byleth’s exposed neck.

“Professor?”

“Hm?”

“Can I tell you something?”

“Sure.”

Ingrid deeply breathed. She parted from the teal-haired’s comfort. Lower lip moistened, the pegasus rider gulped.

“I…”

“...”

“I… Wow, this is… harder than I thought.”

“Ingrid,” Byleth captured the rider’s hands and smoothed the back of it with her thumbs. “Do not be afraid. I will always be here for you.”

“R-Right…”

She began a small breathing exercise. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in… breathe out. Ingrid moistened the bottom pink flesh once more.

“I…”

“My teacher, I have returned.”

Unfortunately, the private time they shared came to an abrupt closure as Edelgard arrived on premise. Their heads whipped towards the approaching emperor. Had the meeting been adjourned already? Or did the reunion spent more time than they had anticipated? Whatever it may be, lilac hues flickered over to the holding females. The vermillion royal raised an eyebrow at the peculiar sight. In addition, to Byleth’s confusion, her features had slightly darkened.

“Have I interrupted you both?”

“Ingrid was going to tell me something.”

“Oh, really?” Edelgard looked at the ex-Faerghus warrior. She sent a rather strong nod towards the blonde’s direction. “You may continue.”

“...I just wanted to say that I’m grateful for the Professor’s return.”

Elaboration was impossible at this point. The hand-holding connection severed by a gentle tug. Ingrid proceeded to place her hand on her metallic chest plate, face Edelgard, bowed to her highness, and promptly left the premise. This all occurred in less than ten seconds, and this entire process left Byleth baffled.

“Guess it’s just us two,” the professor pronounced. “I didn’t even have a chance to say anything to Ingrid.”

Edelgard placed a hand on her hip. The darken features had eroded from her physical traits as she faintly smiled.

“Perhaps next time. Today may be too late, but tomorrow has yet to come.”

Edelgard is correct. There was always tomorrow. However, when taken into consideration of the raging war, the probability of surviving the next day drastically varies. Conflict naturally brings about pain and anguish. The victor solely winning from raw strength, tactical intelligence, and a sprinkle of luck. Anything could turn the tide of a single battle. The future is simply unpredictable.

_‘ My students will be okay. I am here for them. ‘_

Could this be false hope? She shook her head. Perhaps. Nevertheless, there was no use to possessing a pessimistic perspective. They were not only fighting for a cause under Edelgard von Hresvelg’s flag, they were fighting to survive. It’s that simple.

“!”

Byleth lurched forward.

“Professor!”

Had it not been for the petite axe-wielder, the ex-mercenary would have smacked her face flat on the pavement. The whole world was spinning round and round as if someone accelerated the planet. Byleth squinted her eyes, her fingers digging into Edelgard’s armored arms. Another dizzy spell had struck the unfortunate teacher. Although the abrupt effect rapidly diminished, the teal-haired struggled to right her posture with the introduction of a dull headache.

This is becoming more of a nuisance, and this is the first time her symptoms became evident to someone other than Sothis. What better way than to succumb before the ruler? The timing was impeccable!

Edelgard adjusted her hold, her eyes locked onto Byleth. “Do I need to bring you to the infirmary?”

“I’m fine, Edelgard,” the teacher loosened her strong grip. Navy hues rose to meet with the alumni’s lilac irises. “I’m just a little dizzy.”

“Are you sure? You don’t seem fine.”

“I’m sure.”

“Professor, I would rather you not push yourself too hard.”

“I said I’m fine.”

It was stern. Accompanied by a glare, no room was left for any counterbacks with her response. Though her smiles may be rare, her irritation is all the more rare. This caused the white-haired to open her eyes wide. When Byleth saw the wound she unintentionally inflicted upon Edelgard, the hunched professor hastily pulled the graduated student into a strong hug without hesitation. Whatever symptoms that had possessed her were shoved far back into the dusty parts of her skull.

“I’m sorry, Edelgard. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.”

Yes, the young lady was taken aback by the rough treatment. She had witnessed Byleth’s disapproval to other students and staff. Some battalion members were frozen on the spot when the female’s eyes narrowed to slits. The nickname “Ashen Demon” finally made perfect sense to the emperor. However, she had never been on the receiving end until now. What a surprise! But Edelgard is no fool. The female simply responded by briefly resting her face upon the woman’s shoulder. She understood where Byleth was coming from.

“That’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it. Though this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“?”

When they separated, the emperor crossed her arms and studied Byleth with a level gaze.

“I… I just didn’t expect you to exhibit these strange symptoms.”

It almost sounds as if Edelgard knew what had plagued Byleth. This train of thought slashed through her mind as if it were melted butter. The seed of doubt had finally planted into the soil. Sothis words echoed in the back of her mind as a reminder of this particular Edelgard.

**“Keep an eye on her. I felt like she is hiding something from us. She knows something and she’s not telling everything.”**

Unlike the youngster who has much to learn about the battlefield, this older version had seen plenty in the past five years. What made it even more uncertain was the gap between the apparent takeover of Garreg Mach Monastery and last month. Suspicion began to clear bits of the enigmatic fog. Could she have known something about Byleth that she doesn’t?

As if the vermillion woman had read her mind, she shook her head.

“Unfortunately, I do not know what caused them. If only Linhardt were here, I would ask him… Perhaps Professor Hanneman might help instead.”

“I see.”

Looks like the small doubt she had on the older Edelgard vanished in a blink of an eye, the fog making its return. Byleth cursed herself for thinking of the emperor in that fashion. The presumed death status that had been bestowed to the teal-haired was by none other than Edelgard. Despite the proclamation, this ex-Black Eagle’s house leader, who had grieved for five long arduous years, impatiently waits for Byleth’s return.

The older woman chewed her lip. Edelgard had been waiting for an event that might have never came. How could Byleth see her that way?! It was almost as if the first whiplash wasn’t enough!

_‘ Perhaps my symptoms are getting the best of me… ’_

An awkward silence hung in the air. Though the two are close, there is a sense of distance between the two partners. Beads of sweat few out of their heads as they attempt to remedy the oddity. Their jaw would lower, but clamp shut. Rinse and repeat... It was all for naught. None of them would dare break the growing tension. The taller woman shifted her gaze to the royal figure.

_‘ She also came back from the meeting… ’_ Her fingers became agitated. Byleth had barely stomped on the desire to slap her own forehead. _‘ I really messed up. ’_

Edelgard might have been tired. The fact that the ex-mercenary reacted negatively might have applied another layer of stress to the poor girl. Byleth pinched the bridge of her nose.

_‘ Think, Byleth, think! ’_

“...”

Another examination was conducted upon the royal figure. She had just returned from a tactical meeting with the other Black Eagle Strike Squad members… Knowing Hanneman, he would have rambled enough to put them to sleep had it not been for the fierce warfare. Then, a light bulb went off.

“Come, Edelgard,” Byleth extended her hand out. “I think it’s time you relax for a bit.”

The statement threw Edelgard into a loop. She blinked. Thereafter, the white-haired shook her head.

“I think I’ve relaxed plenty enough with you, Professor.”

That is true to an extent. Many tea party sessions were hosted, many shared meals for lunch, and there was even the occasional walk around the monastery as they chatted about unimportant topics. Fresh breath of air, it seems! Edelgard cannot call to mind if she had ever experienced these events after her instructor had vanished. Not that it mattered anyway. She has Byleth here and now, even if she is a little different. So long as Byleth was by her side, her heart could be put to rest.

Not bothering to argue with the lord, the teal-haired took ahold of Edelgard’s armored hand. The vermillion noble widen her eyes as Byleth faintly smiled.

“Nothing wrong with taking another evening off, don’t you think? The war may still go on, but that doesn’t mean you should overwork yourself.”

Right on the nail. As someone who had just preached to her professor about overworking, it appears that she has much to learn about the valuable trait. Edelgard felt the temperature rise from her head as she dragged her sight elsewhere.

“Should we have another tea time then?”

Byleth shook her head.

“I think a hot bath would be better.”

“Must we?”

“Yes.”

Edelgard didn’t even have a chance to reciprocate with a reaction. The sword-wielder easily pulled her out of the greenhouse. If anything, this might also ease the adverse effects on her mental state… and Byleth is willing to do just about anything to get rid of it.

Before long, they found themselves inside of the famous bath and sauna structure. It might have been a bit early for a dip in the hot water. The sun was still high up in the sky, barely any clouds shielding the alumni and professor from its harsh rays. However, everyone in the monastery has to thank the architect for constructing a building dedicated to the sauna and baths.

Located on the second story of the open monastery, soldiers and alumni happily splurged in the bath. Not only are there two open baths for both sex, there are also private sauna rooms for those wishing to sweat their stress away. It was the perfect short-term getaway. Nothing beats cleansing ones regrets and sins too, even if it is a temporary alleviation. Fortunately for the two, the only person present was Shamir.

“Hm? Isn’t it too early for a bath?”

The dark-haired archer questioned as she prepped for a sauna session. Towel over her shoulders, the naked woman bearing various scars sharply stared at the two warriors. (Though her presence seems intimidating, the effect seems to have diminished since the time she betrayed the Knights of Seiros.) Edelgard was busy stripping her armor and clothes in the background as the still-clothed Byleth responded.

“It’s good for relaxing.”

“Don’t stay there too long then. I don’t want to be picking up after your mess.”

Shamir motioned a hand in the air before entering into one of the eight empty sauna rooms. Now that the Dagda woman disappeared from their sight, this prompted the two to quickly enter the female’s open bath.

Regardless of the numerous times they’ve visited this place, they were always in awe of the spacious room. Buckets, soap bars, and shampoo dispensers were neatly organized and placed as if they were living in royalty. (The staff in charge of tidying did an excellent job!) Steam lazily floated in their surroundings. Humidity didn’t hold its punches as it began to tickle their nose. At least sensory adaptation came to their rescue before a sneezing fit becomes reality.

When they dipped their body in the warm water, they both collectively sighed at the same time. Byleth sunk her figure until the surface leveled to her lower neck. She briefly closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

“I needed this.” This cleared up her headaches and could easily prevent her dizziness for the next couple hours or so. She could get used to this. A drowsy episode began to roll its tape as the teal-haired stifled a yawn. “This is making me sleepy though.”

“You must be tired, my teacher.”

The sunken woman turned towards Edelgard. Edelgard had barely leaned against the short ledge, barely sinking into the shallow water. Her eyes were gazing into the distant aimlessly. As she mindlessly rifted through the liquid, the emperor muttered,

“It would do you no good to fall asleep here.”

Byleth chuckled. “Perhaps you can keep me entertained until we finish up here.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m always serious.”

Edelgard finally whipped her head around. When she spotted that cheeky grin on the instructor, the alumni felt a pulse throb from the corner of her head. This Byleth… Was she always this sly? It has been far too long since she can recount her personality. Five years is too big of a gap. Under normal circumstances, the white-haired might be able to retain it. War, especially that in a stalemate with three nations, did a number on her memories. She crossed her arms and pursed her lips.

“Sometimes, I can’t even tell if you are being serious or not.”

What a jab! The ex-mercenary could not help but flash another smile at her direction.

“I like to think I am.”

“Professor!”

Another jab! This time, it was in the form of a splash! Warm water dripped from her disheveled teal hair ends. The instructor wiped her wet face with a single motion of her hand. A smirk followed afterward. She raised her hand.

“I think a retaliation is in order.”

Splashes after splashes came about. Soft giggles and chuckles emitted from the two Crest users. Although stoic on the outside, Byleth is known to have a little fun with her students; the nickname “Ashen Demon” would eventually be erased in due time.

Alas, playtime must come to an end. There was another reason as to why they visited the bathhouse; they had to wash up and scrub any unwanted materials from their skin. The two eventually volunteered to wash each other’s back. Teasing remarks and stories of their endeavors were exchanged during the wash. After tenderly caring and pampering the older woman, it was Edelgard’s turn to be treated like a queen.

“Those scars…”

Unlike the jagged lines that were strewn on the older woman’s body, there were lumps representing the successful healing of deep lacerations. Sides, back, and small parts of her arms… These hardly looked to be from battle. If anything, the epidermis had recovered its fibrous tissue a little too well. Byleth’s brows furrowed as she fleetingly brushed her fingertips over the sensitive bumps. Edelgard shuddered; her wet clumps of her white locks slowly slipped onto her professor’s moving hand. Without looking back, she answered,

“Hm? Oh, yes, they were from the time I was young… Though I have spoken to you about this, haven’t I?”

_‘ She did? ’_

Byleth can’t seem to recall. Once again, just like the battle against Rhea, Catherine, and other members from the Church of Seiros, she was back to drawing blank cards. How many times must this happen? A faint palpitation pulsed from behind her eyes, forcing the female to shut down further thoughts on the matter. If anything, she could always discuss it with Sothis once she crosses over.

“...I must’ve forgotten.”

“I see…”

A tinge of disappointment tainted her words. Nevertheless, Edelgard began to recall the times of her childhood. Traumatic past that no person, let alone a child, should be a part of were spoken. Details far too fine for a sane person’s eardrums were uttered. Inconceivable death tolls and experimentations for the sake of a Crest boiled Byleth’s blood. By the time her tale came to an end, a strong embrace entailed. Edelgard’s pupils stammered in place as she tried to look over her shoulder.

“P-Professor?”

“...”

Byleth had to hug her. She didn’t know the reason behind it, but hearing the history of Edelgard von Hresvelg made her chest ache. It was a potent ache that threatens to split apart her bony plate. The teacher buried her face into the moist shoulder blade.

“...I’m sorry.”

It was an unnatural articulation. Byleth’s words rarely wavered when it comes to delivery. She remains firm and full of conviction with each spoken dialogue. Today, at this moment, the older woman faintly croaked her apology.

“Sorry? Why are you sorry?”

“For your past life.” So much had been explained regarding the two Edelgards. It was no wonder why they refused to opt for a casual summer wear out in public. Even if an unbearable heat threatens to bestow a heat stroke, the females rejected the proposal for a simple attire. She tightened her hold on the girl, almost as if she would disappear any second now. “I would do anything to trade places with you.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but perhaps it is for the best that you did not endure what I have gone through,” Edelgard raised her scarred arm and placed a hand on top of Byleth’s head from behind. It looks as though the role has been reversed, the young female soothing the older. “The last thing I would want is to see my teacher suffer.”

Misery was her middle name, and she wouldn’t dare transfer it over to anyone, especially to her Byleth.

The tender, still moment had stretched for some time before Edelgard began to complain about the heat. This immediately prompted the professor to remove herself from her alumni.

Bath time was finally over. Still, the day was not over. By the time they dried their hair and body, were dressed in their attire, engaged in more banters, spoken to the staff in charge of the building, and reentered the outside world, the sun had settled to sunset. (Shamir had been long gone, which says something.)

Normally, Edelgard would have returned to her duty. As an emperor, spare time was scarce. Byleth wouldn’t allow that. This was a forced day-off from her professor, and the young axe-wielder understood her professor’s intention. Opposing Byleth would be equivalent to opposing an unbreakable wall. She’s certain that everyone, especially Ferdinand, must understand if they were to interrogate of her sudden absence. Besides, there was always room for Edelgard’s favorite activity: tea. She would never miss this when it came to the tactician.

They hosted the private party inside of Edelgard’s chamber in the second-floor dormitory. Tactical concepts and talk about the future often pops up in their conversation. Though Byleth knew that this was not her world, she could not help but be drawn in by the chosen topics. If she were to stay here with Lady Edelgard… the Edelgard that became an emperor, what would their future look like?

“I hope we can stay by each other’s side just like old times, my teacher.”

Like old times… Byleth could not help but slowly nod in response. As the moon eventually traded spot with the sun, so does the sleepy nature trade place with Byleth’s awakened status.

“I think it’s time I go.”

Byleth stretched her arms high up in the air. She now stood by opened doorway, her yawns becoming a regular customer to her body. Though not much rest might be gained, the least she could do is hop back to her real world. Plenty of discussions must be held with the green-haired too; there was so much ground to cover.

Arms lowered back down to her sides, the professor’s eyes crinkled. She turned her back towards the vermillion royalty.

“Good-night, Edelgard. I will see you tomorrow—”

She felt a tug on her sleeve. One could easily mistaken that to be a child’s action. Unfortunately, it appears that the “child” in question is none other than Edelgard von Hresvelg. Those white gloves she casually wears pinched the dark overcoat and pulled her back. When Byleth glanced over her shoulder, she felt her brows rise. The young lady had a tiny bit of pink tinge fallen upon her cheeks. Head lowered, the white-haired mumbled,

“Could you… stay with me for tonight?”

“Is there something I need to do?”

“No, I… um… I sort of… have these nightmares…”

Nightmares… That’s right. Even back in her world, the younger Edelgard suffered from nightmares. Byleth’s thumbnail began to draw faint lines on her index tip. Unfortunately, the teacher was unable to eliminate the dreams that haunt the poor child. So, how could she say no to that request? It was also rare for a student to ask for a sleepover. The last time she had any, it was with Lysithea back in her world. That hardly counted as a stay as Byleth slept on the creaking chair, overwatching the sickly young girl.

Lilac eyes that yearn for comfort gripped her heart.

Byleth puffed carbon dioxide. She turned around and silently nodded. As if a script was played out, the older female soon found herself on the same mattress as the emperor.

She was not one to be undressed completely, but Edelgard finds comfort in sleeping without her clothes on. A blanket was draped over their bodies; a blessing that the professor did not have to unintentionally ogle at those peaks! She swallowed as her back rest on the cushion. Byleth made sure her navy hues were fixated on the decorated ceiling. Any distraction would be beneficial in this case, especially with regard to the abnormal temperature level flaring her cheeks.

Byleth could feel the heat radiating from her body warming her up underneath the covers. Despite the awkwardness with the emperor sleeping naked next to her, in which she never thought such a day like this would even occur, she find Edelgard’s body heat rather comforting in a mysterious way. She expected that she would feel more awkward than this.

Edelgard shifted underneath the cover. From the corner of Byleth’s eyes, she spotted a dark piece of clothing peek out from under the cover. Her curiosity was stroked. She turned to watch the white-haired student.

“You’re hugging a shirt?”

“...you could say that.”

The older female glanced over at the chair opposite of the closest wall. Her overcoat hung over the wooden furniture. Then, she reverted her attention to the ex-house leader. The Adrestian Empire’s noble brought the black piece of clothing close to her chest. (Again, Byleth is thankful for it hiding her fine breasts.) She looks like a small girl despite her age. A small, fragile girl twisted by the cruelty of fate… and right now, Edelgard looks as though she’s giddy about an upcoming field trip. The candlelights from the chandeliers barely shone those pink discolorations on the noble’s cheeks; the shadows flickered in time with the flames.

‘_ Cute. ’_

She wasn’t sure what took over her. It was as if Byleth’s body moved according to her instincts. She quietly turned over to face towards Edelgard. The emperor slowly looked up and made that peaceful eye contact with Byleth’s teal hues before looking away with reddened cheeks.

“Am I being too close?”

“...No, I… I prefer it like this, actually.”

She was being honest to Byleth, at least. The professor brought up her hand to tuck her bangs behind her ears before gently caressing her smooth cheeks.

This Edelgard before her... something about her was drawing Byleth towards her. She truly reminded Byleth of her radiant youthful Edelgard. Byleth wondered if she pushing too much and being too intimate with the emperor. She could imagine that Sothis would give her an earful lecture later. But she could face the consequences later. Right now, she gave Edelgard her full, undivided attention.

“I’ll chase all of those nightmares away.”

“You promise?”

“I will be here for you. Think of me in your dreams.”

“It sounds like you’re promoting yourself as a good luck charm.”

“I might be.”

Then, the emperor smiled.

That radiant glow from Edelgard…

That big grin from Edelgard…

Those words dripping with nectar from Edelgard…

She snuggled in closer towards Byleth’s chest and the professor’s hand unconsciously rubbed her arm to comfort the sleeping emperor, chasing away the nightmares. She fell asleep before Byleth could be as the professor was too busy evaluating the situation. The smile of the emperor engraved right into her very mind - that was the same radiant glow young Edelgard has. However, something was certainly off about it… something about that smile disturbed her.

_‘ She’s smiling… but I feel like she’s smiling at someone else. ’_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LoyalFlutist A/N: Here is the next update on behalf of Kate uploading it! She worked hard on it and, well, we hope you would enjoy it. Please look forward to the next chapter sometime soon! :)

She’s slowing adapting to the switches between two realms. She was able to take naps in between, but she ended up having fragmented dreams that couldn’t be comprehended. She’s still suffering a couple of dizzy spells but it was tolerable. After her close intimate sleep in Edelgard’s room, it made Sothis become wary about the professor being too close with the emperor.

_‘ I warned you not to be close to that emperor, right? She is NOT the same Edelgard as the innocent one you know. ’_

“I’m well aware of that.”

_‘ I hope you are, if you take that wrong turn, even just once, you’ll have to pay the price. ’_

She still would not trust the adult Edelgard in the nightmare realm. Byleth understood her concerns for their frequent visits to another world, which could eventually lead to being unable to distinguish between the two realms. At least the motherly Sothis was doing her job to always remind the professor that this is her real world, not the nightmare one.

-

Another day, Byleth headed to her morning class, but as she was on her way there she suddenly has this double vision that caused her to lose her balance at that split second. She snapped back and shook her head vigorously to wake herself up. Sometimes she needed to rely on painkillers from Manuela or taking extra shots of black coffee to perk her up. As she became a frequent visitor to the infirmary, her colleague concerned for Byleth. But the young teal haired professor insisted that she’s still good to do her job as a professor.

_‘ Don’t just suddenly faint okay? We never know, you might jump into another realm this time. ’_

“Not funny. Can you not jinx it?”

She whispered underneath her breath before Sothis giggled it off. She was treating it like some sort of joke or adventure in a fantasy or something? Byleth wondered if she was really the progenitor god sometimes due to her childish behavior.

-

Today’s class, Byleth took her student to the training ground with two additional students that joined in with them. It seemed Sylvain convinced them to tag along to join the class as well. Mercedes von Martritz and Ingrid Brandl Galatea from the House of Blue Lions.

“Thank you for allowing us to join your class, professor.”

“It is an honor.”

Ingrid and Mercedes bowed mannerly to the classmates and the professor. Certainly, she accepted them wholeheartedly without any form of discrimination. After they expressed their keen interest, they officially joined her class today. The three members of the Blue Lions exchanged a friendly conversation with each other and that reminded Byleth of their older selves in the nightmare realm. The more she was learning about both worlds, the more she saw the resemblances between the two. Sometimes, she even felt that she’s seeing the future of her students…

Pushing that aside, it was about time for the class to start. Byleth went through the fundamentals once again before she allowed her students to have a free training session they could focus on their interests or anything else that they want to do.

“Professor, if I may request a friendly spar with you?”

The blonde-haired student walked up to Byleth and the teacher accepted without hesitation. To make it fair, Ingrid was planning to use her sword, but then Byleth insisted she uses her spear. However, she’s afraid she would have a disadvantage over her.

“Would it not be fair for myself to use a sword as well?”

“It would not be fair if you’re not using your strongest weapon. This is as fair as it could be.”

Ingrid was slightly surprised, but let out a smile of acknowledgment for her. It was as she expected from the ex-mercenary. Other students were curious about their sparring and stopped what they were doing to watch them closely.

“Oh! Ingrid and professor? That’s going to be fun!”

“Go, Ingrid!”

Sylvain cheered for his childhood friend whilst others joined in too. Everyone’s attention was fixed on those two before the blonde-haired student made that first move. She leaped in towards the professor with the basic thrusting motion, but then Byleth managed to parry her thrust and stepped to the side.

“You have a solid foundation. Impressive.”

That made the young lancer leaped away from the professor before she twirled the spear in her hand to deliver a fluid counterattack right at her. Byleth simply smiled before she swung her blade as well. The moment it made that touch with Ingrid’s spear, with a small amount of force she deviated the attack from reaching her.

“!?”

Without further ado, the professor smoothly stepped into her close range and she had no choice but to block her attacks - desperately. Everything happened in a few seconds before Byleth guided her sword so smoothly like she was dancing before she swiftly attacked Ingrid back multiple times without a single break in between. The students were listening to how many strikes she was doing continuously and some had seemed to have lost count already.

“Was that 4? Or 5?”

“I thought it was 6.”

“I swear I heard 5–”

“It was 8.”

Edelgard spoke up, followed by Ferdinand and Hubert backing her up as they were able to hear how many times her sword made contact with Ingrid’s spear. She could see through it thanks to her consistent special Sunday afternoon training with Byleth after all. Everyone was speechless while Ingrid was barely surviving it. She was able to parry the first five easily but as the number kept increasing she started to tense up and her focus started to fade away.

“Don’t get distracted yet.”

That instant, Byleth’s face was so close to hers. She broke through her guarding distance before simply giving Ingrid a nudge on the chest before she lost her balance completely. She snapped back and leapt away from her to be in the safe distance, but that was when she didn’t keep her eye on her opponent.

“—!!”

She got a leg sweep by her professor as she leaped in right after she backed away to close up the distance. It was as if time froze for her, she was about to fall and she closed her eyes to embrace the impact, but that was when Byleth grabbed onto her arm to prevent that from happening.

“Remember that feeling. That is your limit to your focus. That was good sparring, Ingrid.”

“T-Thank you, professor.”

Everyone applauded them after a good demonstration of their sparring battle. Her students were amazed at how smooth Byleth was moving and how she used her sword. It was as if she was dancing herself. Ingrid had a lot to say and described it as if she was fighting water that could change its form whenever she did anything to it.

“It is like I’m fighting water… You’re amazing, professor. That is a high-level technique.”

“You have solid basics that will certainly allow you to achieve that too. With practice, I have no doubt you’ll surpass me.”

“You are flattering me too much, professor.”

“Hehe, however before that, remember that feeling you felt. That is your limit to your focus. Work on expanding that limit and maintain your body’s flexibility while loosening up your upper body’s tension.”

“I will! Thank you so much for your guidance.”

After that, Byleth spent time teaching and reinforcing her students the correct techniques to enhance their skills further. Other students gathered around and asked her to teach them how to fight like her. However, as usual, Byleth insisted they learn the fundamentals correctly and one day they would be able to perform like her. After the morning class was over, Byleth was called over to see Rhea and Setheth. They received reports of the nearby village in trouble with the roaming bandits that robbed their carriages and their products recently. They wanted the professor and her students to take on the mission to solve the matter.

After the meeting was over, she stepped out and met with Edelgard that seemed to be waiting for her to finish up. She waited for the professor so that they could go have some lunch together in the dining hall. As they were heading there together, the professor informed the house leader of their urgent mission the next day.

“We will have to depart tomorrow. We will need to let everyone be prepared for it. We’ll have a team meeting right after the afternoon class.”

“I will inform all of them to be present in our home classroom.”

“Thank you. I knew that I could count on you, Edelgard.”

Normally those kinds of praises wouldn’t faze her, but when it was from Byleth, she took it with a light blush. The professor enjoyed patting the young girl’s head with adoration. She could never get bored seeing her being embarrassed like this. By the end of the afternoon class, the students of the members of the Black Eagles gathered along with the three non-house members that were also asked to come join the meeting as well.

The professor went through the details of the mission tomorrow and asked everyone to sleep and rest well before they would depart in the early morning without further ado.

“A field mission tomorrow? Another great experience! Thank you for inviting us to come along too, professor.”

Sylvain, Lysithea, and Leonie expressed their gratitude for Byleth allowing them to come along too. Without further ado, all of them headed to bed early to prepare for the next day. As everyone slowly returned back to their quarters, the professor seemed to be quite distracted and it was pointed out by Edelgard and Dorothea. They headed up to her table as she seemed to be quite busy with her paper files.

“My teacher, you looked quite tired. You should rest up for tomorrow.”

“Ah, thank you, I will. You two should go to rest soon.”

“Not until you go to rest too! We don’t want our lovely professor to faint in the middle of the mission, right?”

Dorothea giggled and insisted they stick around until the professor would return back to her quarters. The brunette took her seat on one of the empty tables whilst Edelgard took the chair instead. Her two students insisted she needed to rest, but she wanted to do some more work before heading the bed, but those two girls wouldn’t leave her table at all.

“...You two are not planning to leave, aren’t you?”

“Nope! Not until you go to bed too.”

‘ That’s pretty cute of those two. You’re quite popular, in both worlds, aren’t you? ’

Sothis spoke up inside her head, but she ignored it so Dorothea or Edelgard wouldn’t get confused with her behavior. The professor felt like she didn’t have much of a choice, she sighed and reluctantly put her pen down to call it a day.

“Very well then, let’s return back to your quarters.”

“Hehe! That’s great to hear.”

The songstress giggled before jumping down from the edge of the table. The two students successfully dragged the stubborn professor to sleep so she wouldn’t overpush herself. They certainly have their ways to express their concern for her, in a cute way.

-

When the next day comes, in the late morning the professor and her team will be accompanying carriages from the Garreg Mach Monastery towards the outskirts which were their destination. Byleth discussed the plans with her students with Edelgard and Sylvain appointed as the sub-leaders of their small team aside from herself. The soldiers from the Church of Seiros would follow them from behind quietly to assist the capture once Byleth’s team restrained them down.

“We do not know what will await us. Be prepared in case we must separate into groups. The group is designated as follows.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

All of them responded in unison as they stand at the entrance, they were ready for departure the moment each team got into three separate carriages. It was quite a lengthy traveling and some of the lucky students get the chance to speak with Byleth aside from just class time - that includes Petra, Lysithea, and Caspar. This would be a good opportunity to speak to her about other matters excluding the lesson contents.

“Professor, I want to thank you again for bringing me along with the Black Eagle’s mission.”

“This is nothing, Lysithea. You’re a part of our family.”

“Family...am I really...”

“Of course. That includes Sylvain, Leonie, and yourself.”

Lysithea wasn’t expecting to hear that coming out from the professor who considered herself, Leonie and Sylvain as a part of their Black Eagles family. Something about those words warmed up her heart with such kindness. The youngest student could tell from Byleth’s deep hue of her eyes. It was so clear it reflects what kind of soul she has - a clear crystal one. She showed no hesitation in what she said. Caspar and Petra joined in to affirm their professor’s words by placing their hand onto her shoulder.

“Yes, you are of course!”

“We welcomed you three as a part of our team, our family.”

Hearing those words, the young white-haired girl let out a smile of relief that she received acknowledgment and care from her new friends. She used to only see the Golden Deer as her family, but not anymore. Black Eagles opened their arms and welcomed her in as part of them that accepted her for who she is, not due to her birthright.

Before they have any further chances to speak, the villagers spotted the bandits appearing from the woods to ambush them and that served as a sign for the battle to begin. Everyone came out from the carriage and confronted the bandits that were dumbfoundedly surprised by their appearance. They recognized their uniforms - the students from the Church of Seiros.

“Dammit! The members are from the church! Kill them!”

“Everyone, be on your guard! The fight begins.”

Byleth signaled the battle and her students proceeded with caution under the lead of their sub-leaders and herself. By the end of the confrontation, the students successfully restrained them down and left them in the hands of the soldiers of the church. The soldiers saluted the professor for cooperating with them and they would cast upon their judgments as to how lady Rhea sees fit. Byleth nodded back at them, but felt somewhat uneasy.

‘ Everything ended… too smoothly. Something is off. ’

“Uagh!!”

The cry heard coming from the soldier’s carriage as one of the knights got sniped by an arrow. That caused the villagers and the students to become alert in a split second. The armed students put their guard up...as they knew they were being ambushed.

“More enemies! We’re surrounded!”

Sylvain informed his team members and everyone for the surprise ambush attack. Uninvited ambushers, those who slither in the dark, attacked the carriage and the students. This was definitely something that neither the soldiers and Byleth expected. The students fought them back and were forced to cut them down. If not, they will be killed. Caspar and Petra were holding the front line along with the soldiers of Seiros. As the youngest member saw an enemy going for Petra, she used her powers to protect her fellow comrades fighting in the front line.

“I got your backs covered! Please don’t worry!”

“You have my thanks, Lysithea!”

She became an essential member of the team, protecting everyone from behind with her long-distance attacks. Byleth focused on her fight and cut them down without hesitation. As she saw blood spattered right before her, an unfamiliar image flashed right across her face. Everything was covered in blood. She bit her lip and shook those images away. It wasn’t the right time to be distracted. As she tried to focus, she got double vision and felt her head spinning turbulently. If it wasn’t for Sothis’ words echoing in her mind, she may have fainted.

_‘...leth...out...it....Leth...Byleth...BYLETH!! ’_

“!?”

She snapped back to reality and allowed one enemy to slip through her line. An assassin ran at top speed going for Lysithea. She’s the weakest link among all and was the one that gave the heretics the difficult time to slaughter them down. Caspar and Petra saw the swift assassin going for their friend and instantly called out her name.

“Lysithea! Run!”

“!?”

Before Lysithea realized again, the enemy was already charging into mid-range from her. It would be too late to blast him away from her without injuring herself as a consequence. Byleth saw the dagger coming for her young student in slow motion. It all happened right before her eyes and her body instantly reacted before her mind would have processed anything. She could use Divine Pulse to turn back time to not repeat her mistake, but that was when the lucid dream replayed in her head.

How divine pulse failed and killed her instead.

That instant, Byleth retracted her hand and made changes to her plans in that split second. She unsheathed her dagger and threw it towards the enemy before it pierced through his shoulder. He flinched with both surprise and pain. It staggered his movement before he still proceeded for the kill at the cost of his life - but that was enough time that Byleth bought in order to reach towards her student.

Sharp cold steel cut her palm as she caught the assassin’s knife with her hands. She bit her bottom lip to embrace the pain and gripped onto it tightly so that the assassin couldn’t pull his weapon back. It was a matter of seconds that the professor instinctively swung her bloodied blade at the assassin’s throat without hesitation. Blood gushed profusely before he died in a matter of seconds.

She gave a clean kick at the assassin’s body away from them before catching her breath. She dropped the dagger onto the ground and her left hand was trembling out of reflex to pain, but little did she revealed on her facial expression. Seeing blood everywhere and trickling down her professor’s hand, Lysithea’s face went pale and her hands were visibly trembling in overwhelming emotions.

“P-Professor— Your hand—! I-It’s my fau—”

“I’m fine, don’t worry. It is not fatal. It is far from my heart, Lysithea.”

Even with now bloodied her hand is, Byleth reassured her student that she’s okay. Everything went smoothly with the capture of the bandits and those who slither in the dark. Byleth felt it is best all of them return back to the monastery to report for this incident as soon as possible. If they were to head towards their destination it would impose more threats to the students. She prioritized her students’ safety first.

Lysithea insisted she did the first aid for the professor as they headed back to the monastery. However, it was just an injury that is far away from her heart so it wouldn’t kill the professor that easily. Byleth could tell her students must be tired from the fight, and some were left shaking as this is not something that one could get easily accustomed to. Some of them were covered in the blood of their enemies. However, that’s something they must cope with and live with it, that’s the life of the real world outside the walls of the monastery. It is either you kill or get killed.

About an hour or two later, they arrived back to the monastery on carriages to resettle back at the monastery. It wouldn’t be the wisest approach to push further without any preparations. Byleth would need to discuss further details with Rhea and the church of Seiros about this matter. She riled up her students and decided to dismiss them early.

“Everyone, you did well. None of you all are injured, yes?”

“None of us are injured.”

Edelgard and Sylvain informed their professors of their team’s status - none of them are injured and she sighed with relief. Maybe just a few scratches and bruises here and there, but nothing serious.

“We all came home, together. That itself is the biggest accomplishment of this mission. Please, rest well and I will see you all tomorrow, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The students were dismissed and returned back to their rooms to clean up. Byleth left slightly earlier to make a formal report with lady Rhea of what happened. In truth, she wanted to leave the scene before her students would’ve caught any subtle suspicious behaviors. As she turned at the corner, the entire world suddenly spun 360 degrees that she literally crashed onto the brick wall by her side. If it wasn’t for it, she would’ve crash onto the ground.

“--!!”

Cold sweat. Dry throat. Blurred vision. Disorientation. Vomiting sensation.

Byleth knew immediately what it meant - she was poisoned, and it is no ordinary poison too. It must’ve been from that dagger that she caught earlier. She started having symptoms in the carriage and took the emergency antidote she prepared, but it seemed it only prolonged her life for a little longer. The poison was way worse than the ones she’s commonly exposed to during her mercenary days.

That was careless of herself to neglect the possibility that the enemy may have coated their blades with deadly poisons. Even though they may have failed to kill their enemies on the spot, they could still guarantee their death with a single cut.

Change of plans, she needed to head to the infirmary as fast as possible before everything will be too late for her. The poison would’ve circulated across her body by now.

‘ I...have to...I… ’

Her throat is so dry that her voice became hoarse. The side effects from the poison. Everything started to get darker and the next thing she realized was that her body was lying against the cold brick floor.

_‘ Byleth? Hey! Get a grip! ’_

The whole world spinning. Her entire body felt so heavy she couldn’t even move an inch. She was trying to catch her breath in a difficult manner, even though she wanted to breath faster, she couldn’t do so. It felt as if there was a huge boulder pressing against her rib cage which was restricting her breathing.

“P-Professor!!”

She could hear words from a distance and someone running up to her in her red cape. Her hazed vision wouldn’t allow her to identify who that person was...she may hear their voice, but she could no longer respond. They were Petra, Dorothea, and Edelgard. They followed her after detecting subtle abnormalities in her behavior. They made a good call to follow her. Without further ado, Byleth was carried onto someone’s back before she could hear more noises going around in the background.

“We must hurry! Something is definitely not right!!”

“P-Professor, you’ll be okay! Hang in there!”

Petra returned back to inform other members about their professor, meanwhile, Dorothea and Edelgard headed to the infirmary without further ado. The lavender scent from that white silky hair next to her face was the only few things she was focusing on. Certainly, that belonged to only one person - her student, Edelgard.

‘ Edelgard…? ’

The leader of the House of Black Eagles carried her professor on her shoulder and ran towards the infirmary without catching breath for a second. Once they arrived, Dorothea and Edelgard called out for Manuela’s help, out of desperation and fear.

“Professor Manuela! Please help! Professor is…!”

More mumbles going behind the scenes and the next thing she realized was that she was placed onto the bed and someone flashed the light into her eye. Manuela took a look and realized Byleth’s pupils were dilated and that was causing her hazed vision. She signaled the other professor to get a pencil and paper for her to scribble instead. She wanted to speak, but it would kill her throat badly. Her hands were shaking subtly, but her writing was still readable.

“Deadly... Nightshade!?”

Manuela instantly recognized that name. It is a rare plant and it is notable for its deadly poison that could kill a healthy adult with an appropriate dose. She quickly fumbled through her medicine shelf and grabbed a bottle to feed the professor with haste. As she tried to feed the young professor, she coughed vigorously and couldn’t swallow the medicine down her throat.

Stomach pain. Fever. Headache. Paralysis. Loss of sensation.

It all bombarded right at her and even the professor knew this wasn’t a good sign. The Deadly Nightshade’s poison was slowly eroding her from the inside out. If they do not administer the medicine soon, Byleth’s life might be in danger.

“Professor Manuela, allow me.”

She saw the white-haired noble took the bottle and took it into her mouth before she angled Byleth’s face towards her with her cold hands. Byleth caught a glimpse of those captivating violet eyes before she felt a press against her lips. The fluid poured into her mouth and forced her to swallow it down before she instantly broke that contact with a gasp of pain.

“Hang in there, professor...it will be okay.”

Her gentle tone soothed Byleth’s ears before she received another force-feeding for the second time from the white-haired noble even though it was killing her throat. Despite it hurts so badly, Byleth remembered those soft lips as it touched hers vividly. Something about that sensation was somewhat comforting.

‘ Edelgard… ’

That roughly finished half of the bottle. That would be enough for the time being. As long as the professor took the medicine, everything would be under control. Manuela turned to the young student that bravely act without second thoughts to save her professor.

“I really appreciate your help. You didn’t really have to do that, I wouldn’t mind doing it, to be honest.”

“Not at all. What needs to be done must be done. Professor’s safety is our top priority. After this, will she be okay?”

“Everything will be under control after she took the medicine, thanks to you. I’ll have to treat her wounds now before any more poisons could circulate into her body.”

Manuela began treating and healing Byleth’s hand that was infected by the poison. She was expected to get better in about 15 minutes due to Manuela’s special concoction. She was fairly confident with her medications. Meanwhile, more students arrived at the infirmary after they heard about their professor being poisoned. However, Dorothea asked them to come back later when their professor’s condition improved after ingesting the antidote.

“I’ll be here with our professor. Everyone should go clean themselves first before returning here. There is nothing else we can do but wait.”

“Edie is right, guys. Go back to clean yourselves up first. It wouldn't be good to walk around with those blood all over us.”

None of them went back to their room yet. They headed straight here in their bloodied clothes after they learned that the professor was poisoned and in a critical state. However, they couldn’t do anything right now since everything was under control. It’s best to head back to wash up and come back after her conditions improved.

Edelgard insisted she stay back and allowing everyone to clean up first. However, the truth was that she couldn’t easily leave her professor’s side as she saw her in pain like this. No matter how strong she may be, she could easily be killed by poison just like anyone else. She sat there, holding Byleth’s hand tightly with a heavy heart.

She’s scared and afraid of losing her professor.

Manuela watched how Edelgard looked at her professor and held her hand. It was more than just how students looked at their teacher. It was more - intimate. It was very obvious to a love expert like herself to be able to tell that the young noble was indeed in love with her professor.

“...Your medicine worked effectively...professor Manuela.”

After quite some time went by, she spoke up out of the blue that it gave both of them a mini surprise. Her voice wasn’t badly hoarse anymore, but it was still there. Byleth felt less pain and her vision gradually became clearer. Manuela’s special concoction worked very well with the young professor.

“How are you feeling so far?”

“Painful...but bearable than a while ago. My throat...still hurts.”

“The medicine is working is magic faster than I expected. I guess it is as expected from taking the concentrated form of it. Edelgard, could you grab the lemon honey bottle on the shelf?”

“Yes.”

She searched for the labeled bottle as Manuela indicated before she returned to her professor’s side. Mixing it with her antidote, Byleth was able to swallow it down, easily and bearably. She still needed to rest and allow the antidote to work its magic. She turned to Edelgard, who remained in silence. Her violet eyes were slightly watered, she was probably on the verge of crying. Byleth could tell she was devastated and having a heartache, thus she slowly took her hand and held firmly.

“...Thank you, Edelgard. You saved me.”

“I must do what I must do, my teacher.”

“Don’t worry...It’s fine now.”

Slowly removing her hand from hers to gently cupped her cheek. She was indirectly comforting her and reassuring Edelgard that she’s okay now. She was at the verge of breaking into tears, but she didn’t. The strong future emperor bit her lip and took Byleth’s hand again before holding onto it tightly.

“I’m glad you’re okay....”

She held the professor’s hand tightly before they made a long eye contact with one another. They could tell what one another thought and no words were needed to express their feelings. It was as if their wavelengths were in sync. Byleth knew what she was feeling right now and simply smiled back at her before holding her hand tightly.

Meanwhile, they somewhat forgot that Manuela was there to witness everything that was happening. She was in awe and tried to remain as silent as possible to not break the awkward tension. That reaffirmed her even more that there must be some sort of special relationship between these two.

-

“P-Professor…!”

After a while, her students returned to the infirmary to see Byleth conscious enough to have a proper conversation with them, she regained her vigor back. Lysithea was one of the students that rushed to the infirmary as fast as possible and literally broke down into tears as she saw the professor. That made Byleth had to comfort her by stroking her head gently.

“Lysithea, don’t cry.”

“It’s all my fault...I’m so sorry...I’m really sorry—!”

“It is no one’s fault. If there must be the one to blame, it is me. I was careless about the poison those assassins may have used.”

“But--”

“No more. It’s all in the past. We’re all alive, and that’s what matters.”

Byleth smiled and caressed her head gently with care. Other students started to show up as well in their cleaned student uniform. They all gathered around her and asked for her wellbeing and if she was in pain anymore. Once they were informed by Edelgard the details about professor Byleth’s situation, they all sighed with relief. The worst has passed, and Byleth was on her path to full recovery.

“I may have to be out for a couple of days. Make sure you all train hard even though I am not even there, okay?”

“Of course! We will train really hard!”

“We would miss having you around for a few days...”

“I will ensure they are well behaved.”

Edelgard added with a soft chuckle, seeing all her teammates filled with vigor and laughter after their worries were gone. They all showed great concern for her in a way that Manuela didn’t expect that at all. At first, she doubted if professor Byleth would be able to connect with her students due to her blank poker face and how rarely she expressed her thoughts and emotions.

However, this moment proved her wrong. From how Edelgard carried Byleth over and other students rushed over as soon as they received the news despite the fact that they were covered in sweat and blood. It didn’t take them that long to come back as soon as possible to see if their professor’s fine. The students love her dearly.

Without further ado, a couple of students were informed by their friend Sylvain and Lysithea about the professor’s well being. Ingrid, Mercedes, Dimitri, and Claude came over as well to check on Byleth. This was one of the few rare occasions Manuela ever experienced with having so many students gathering at the infirmary like this. They stayed for a bit before it was about time for dinner at the dining hall. They bid their leaves and prayed for the professor’s quick recovery.

“Get well soon,Teach!”

Claude waved at her with his usual cheerful smile before taking his leave with Lysithea and Leonie, his fellow members of the Golden Deer House.

“We will take our leave. Please, rest well.”

Dimitri smiled and bowed gallantly before leaving with Ingrid, Mercedes, and Sylvain of the Blue Lions. The students of the Black Eagles stayed a bit longer to accompany their professor, but she would need to rest some more in a quiet environment in order to have a speedy recovery. They decided to leave her in peace. Edelgard didn’t want to leave, but then the professor insisted she needed to take care of herself or else she would end up ill in bed like herself.

“I’ll be fine. Go eat and rest, Edelgard.”

“...If you insist, I shall go have my dinner, but I will come back afterward. Is that okay with you?”

“I don’t think I’m capable of stopping you once you decided.”

They both exchanged a soft chuckle before the young white-haired noble departed to the dining hall with Dorothea and others. She left the room and Manuela was still casting healing spells to at least close her wounds. Last thing everyone needs is for Byleth to bleed to death. In the midst of silence, she seemed to have questions for the young professor’s relationship with the student that served as the head of the House of Black Eagles.

“At times, you have to make things clear before things escalate. A young child’s heart can be fragile if you don’t handle with care.”

“...Are you are referring to Edelgard?”

“I could see from the way she looks at you. Certainly, she thinks of you more than just a professor… or a friend. As a friendly warning, Professor Byleth: The truth may hurt, but it is better than giving her false hope if you do not wish to reciprocate. Your kindness may end up shattering her heart.”

Byleth didn’t expect to be lectured by two people in regard to a romantic relationship when she wasn’t exactly thinking about it. She already picked up hints from the first time Sothis warned her about her close intimate relationship with Edelgard. It could swerve off course more than what she may initially expect. Byleth became extremely careful with her actions towards Edelgard… and now she’s being warned by her colleague Manuela too. She sighed softly and replied back to the retired songstress that she was well aware of the situation.

“You must be experienced in this, Professor Manuela.”

“I lived a much longer life than you, of course. I’ve been in romantic relationships before. That’s why, from the words of an expert, the faster you pluck the seed out from the ground, the better the outcome before it would grow into a huge tree. At that point, that will be too late.”

“...That’s an intriguing analogy. Noted. I promise I won’t hurt her feelings.”

“I know you won’t. You’re a great professor. I truly underestimated you. You rarely express your emotions and thoughts to anyone, so I was worried whether you will be able to make connections with these children or not.”

“What changed your mind?”

“The moment I saw your students charged into the infirmary in tears.”

Manuela smiled and remembered the moment Byleth’s students charged into the infirmary with genuine worries painted across their faces. If the teacher failed to make that connection with her students, developing that mutual trust between the two, then such a moment like that wouldn’t happen in the first place.

“I can see how much they all love you. That’s why I can tell that you raised them well with care.”

“...”

“Rest well, professor. You’ll stay here for the night and I’ll watch over you. Just making sure.”

“Thank you, Professor Manuela.”

They exchanged a calm gesture with each other before Byleth allowed herself to go to sleep on the bed even though it was in the early evening. She needed as must rest as possible for a speedy recovery.

-

The following day in the morning, the wound closed up but Manuela banned her from doing any form of strenuous physical activity at all cost. She asked Byleth to rest for at least three full days to observe for any remaining symptoms before she would set the young professor free. This was one of the rare occasions that Professor Byleth accompanied professor Manuela in her infirmary office. The young professor used her time economically by reading strategy and tactic books for her future classes on the sofa quietly.

The students of Black Eagles came to visit her after their lessons were over for the day and told her all the stories that happened today in class and during training before they needed to return back to their quarters to rest for the day.

“Guys! It’s time to go to bed!”

“Aw, why! We want to stay a little longer with the professor.”

“C’mon Caspar, don’t whine. Let’s go! We should let our professor rest!”

Dorothea gathered all of them and led them out from the room, but it was her cue to help Edelgard able to spend some time in private with her professor. Manuela seemed to pick up the tension building up in the room and decided to leave with a fake reason that she made up.

“I will go pick up some herbs and medications to restock. Edelgard, can you look after Professor Byleth for me while I’m away?”

“Yes, I will.”

Now, it is just the two of them left behind before the young noble fidgeted with her pink flustered cheeks. Byleth watched her in silence before patting the corner of the bed, inviting her to sit down next to her. She didn’t say a word before sitting next to her professor. Byleth broke the tension with a very simple question asking about her wellbeing.

“How was class today?”

“It was the same as usual...but a little bit lonely and boring. I think all of us felt that way as we got used to your presence.”

“That was adorable of all of you.”

Byleth smiled subtly before stroking Edelgard’s head gently. However, the professor expected her response to be the usual blushing with embarrassment, but this time it looked as if she was about to cry.

“Edelgard?”

The teal haired professor froze and retracted her hand back before her student dove into her arms, buried her face onto her shoulder and wrapped her arms around Byleth tightly.

“I was so scared...if something were to happen to you. When you collapsed...seeing you in pain...everything just...I just...everything went blank.”

“I’m doing well at the moment now, right?”

“But if we were too late—!”

She stopped before she would have finished that sentence and bit the bottom lip. The professor could tell from her tone how frustrated she was...and how she has been holding it in this entire time without showing it in front of others. Byleth stroked Edelgard’s head and pulled her into her embrace tightly.

“...I’m sorry that I made you and everyone worried. I will take care of myself better.”

“I’m glad you understood that...please remember, you’re very important to us, the Black Eagles family...and to me.”

Her voice slowly got softer towards the end, but Byleth caught that. She slowly pushed herself out from the tight embrace and was close to tearing up. Byleth gently stroke her cheeks before pinching them gently. This time, the usual embarrassed expression returned on the young noble’s face. That itself made the professor smiled with relief.

“Thank you, Edelgard. You saved me yesterday.”

“I’m glad to help...and...uh...”

“Hm?”

“I was meant to apologize that I uh...kissed you.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. She remembered their lips touched each other a couple of times when Edelgard tried to force-feed her the medicine. She still remembered that tingling sensation against her lips, and she didn’t mind it at the slightest.

“That’s okay, I don’t mind it. I was worried that you would mind it.”

“Oh...uh, not at all. I’m glad you don’t mind it...I don’t mind it at all.”

Her cheeks were so red and she was still fidgeting. It was as if she wanted to say something but didn’t have the courage to. Thus, Byleth decided to give a little push to tease her.

“Your lips are very soft. I still can remember that sensation. I would say...it is rather comforting.”

Byleth touched her lips remembering that soft lavender sensation and Edelgard stared in awe with those blood-red cheeks that spread to her ears. She had to look away to hide her expression but that made the young professor tease her even more.

“Y-You’re horrible, my teacher. How could you say something so easily like that.”

“I’m simply speaking the truth.”

“But still—! That’s so embarrassing… That was the first time I kissed anyone...but that shouldn’t count. I was merely doing what needs to be done.”

“...Then do you want to do it properly?”

The young noble absolutely couldn’t believe what she just heard and stared at her professor with misbelief. Did she just say what she just said? Did she mishear? Byleth was still waiting for her answer and she was in too much shock to even respond to that.

“M-My teacher, did you just...wait, I must’ve misheard it.”

“Hehe...hahaha.”

That was one of the rare moments Byleth laughed. The young noble was staring in awe to capture this rare moment with her eyes. Only Edelgard was capable of making Byleth becoming this expressive and smile radiantly like this.

“...You’re just so mischievous, I can’t believe it.”

There’s no way that Edelgard would stay mad for that long with her professor. The older lady rested her forehead against hers and enjoyed this silent moment closeby to one another. Edelgard no longer resisted and closed her eyes to feel her professor’s warmth next to hers. Before they realized it they were holding each other’s hand already.

Manuela picked up the necessary medications for professor Byleth and before she entered she took a peek to see how things were going inside. The two of them were still chatting and she saw both of them were holding each other’s hand as well. Manuela was speechless with what she saw, that was the first time she ever saw professor Byleth had that expression on, she would never expect her to show that gentle human-like side like that.

“...So it seems it's not one-sided love after all. I worried for nothing.”

She smiled to herself and allowed them to spend some more time alone for a bit before she would have to interrupt them.

Byleth is making a quick recovery from the Deadly Nightshade poisoning, due to Manuela’s special medicine. It took her about 3 days to show no major symptoms, but she would still feel a bit oozy for a couple more days. Nothing harmful to the strong professor. She returned back to teaching on the 5th day and the students of Black Eagles were eagerly waiting for her arrival. Usually, Byleth would be the second one to arrive after Edelgard, but this time everyone was there before her, including members of the non-Black Eagles too.

“Professor! Welcome back!”

“Wow, you guys are all up early.”

They were eagerly waiting to welcome their beloved professor back to their class. Through time, Byleth started to develop a strong sense of attachment to them. She cares about them from the bottom of her heart. She headed to her table and placed down her books before telling everyone to take their seats.

“Okay, let us begin the class.”

-

It was another day with a clear blue sky. It was about a week since Byleth got poisoned and she’s back in shape to train once again. The teal haired lady moved around swiftly as the white-haired student tried to catch up with her. Edelgard tried to parry all of her attacks that were coming at her like a raging wave. There were no signs that it would stop anytime soon or when it would stop at all.

“Careful with developing habits.”

As Byleth was about to attack and Edelgard blocked it out of reflex. That instant, the professor diverted her strike in another direction instead and the student was completely wide open.

“Whoa—!”

The wooden blade rested against her forehead before her pupil dilated with surprise. In that instant, her world just flipped around - literally. The older lady knocked her feet and she fell down onto the soft grass on her bum. She yelped with surprise and pain before pouting right back at her professor before getting back on her feet once again. Byleth only smiled at her student before she lowered her guard down as a sign of the end of their sparring.

“Enough for today. Let’s call it a day.”

Edelgard got up before brushing any dirt that may be on her butt. Byleth passed a bottle of cold clean water she prepared before their departure from the monastery. She thanked and took it without further ado. She was extremely thirsty after the long training she was doing with Byleth throughout the entire afternoon. She needed a training partner to help with her recovery.

“Thank you for assisting me today, Edelgard.”

“Not at all. It is I that should apologize that I couldn’t match your level. You ended up having to teach me.”

“No, you helped me a great deal.”

They sat down underneath the shade of one of the trees nearby them. It was another tranquil private moment they have together outside of the monastery. Edelgard seemed to have something in her mind, and she felt that this would be the right time to speak with her.

“Professor, it is rather surprising to hear you speak about your father.”

“Hm?”

“I took that you’re rather a conservative person...that doesn’t like to share many stories.”

Byleth took a minute to think about it. Edelgard wouldn’t be far off the point with it. She’s not a chatty talkative person to begin with in comparison to her mercenary friends. Even her father pointed out how much of a mute she was since she’s a little child. However, during their private times, Byleth would talk about her old days in training - about herself.

“That’s true, I don’t usually speak about myself. I find talking quite an awkward matter. Do you find that annoying?”

“Not at all! Please don’t take it wrongly. I actually love listening to your stories. I was just worried that you’re saying all these things because you felt obligated to...”

“I never feel obligated to do so. For some reason, I feel like sharing it with you.”

No more words to explain the situation between them. They exchanged that soft smile with one another before Edelgard asked her about more stories of her childhood days, traveling with her father and the mercenaries. It wasn’t just Byleth, but Edelgard shared her stories as well about her scars she received from an inhumane experiment she was subjected to in order to carry the second Crest of Flames - the same one as Byleth. To the professor, she remembered seeing those nasty scars on her white smooth skin. She couldn’t imagine how much pain would Edelgard had to endure.

“Is that the reason why you’re very self-conscious of how you expose your skin?”

“Yes. I don’t want anyone to see the scars. I find that it would be complicated having to explain it, so it is best I prevent that in the first place.”

“That’s true.”

“...Maybe one day, I will show it to you, my teacher.”

She blushed while burying her face into her knees, curling up like a ball. In fact, Byleth already saw them but from the adult Edelgard instead in the sauna. She knew it was something that would take time for the young noble to open up. She stroked her head to let her know indirectly that she didn’t have to rush to tell her everything about herself.

“No need to rush. I’ll wait until when you feel like the time is right.”

“My teacher...thank you.”

They shared stories about their childhood days. All the enjoyable activities that Byleth had done as she traveled from place to place with her father. She had her chance to play childish games with new friends she made each time. Some of the were quite surprisingly interesting and humorous as well. Hearing all those stories, Edelgard couldn’t help but become envious. She thought to herself if she was not a noble, would things have turned out differently?

“Maybe if I were not born as a noble...then I may have enjoyed many more things than what I could right now. Maybe I would’ve had a better childhood to look back to.”

Burdens of being a noble. She could see across Edelgard’s violet orbs. The burdens she carried as being the sole survivor of her family that bears the crest of Seiros. As her mind drifted off somewhere already, the young professor walked up and gave a soft tap onto her forehead to grab her attention once again.

“It is never too late to create one. When we grow older, these moments will be in the past, just like our childhood. Make good memories in the present, and when we grow older...it will become something we look back with a smile.”

“My teacher...”

“It is as simple as that. The times in the monastery is certainly filled with joy, am I right?”

“...It is. For the first time, I could be true to myself at this very place, and by your side.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

She patted Edelgard’s head, with much adoration for her. They spent some time chilling at the riverbank and their trivial conversation as usual. Time certainly flies by so fast when they were having fun. After they got tired, the two sat on the big boulders nearby to dry their hair with their towels Byleth prepared.

“That’s rather refreshing. Thank you once again for a wonderful afternoon, professor.”

“Thank you for tagging along with me. I had fun too.”

They headed back to the monastery together before sunsets. Before Edelgard could’ve returned to her room, she asked her to come along to her room for a bit since she got something for her. The professor welcomed the young whitehaired student if she didn’t want to wait outside.

“Just come in. I may need to look a bit where I put my gift.”

“Oh, okay. Wait, a gift? For what particular occasion is it?”

“You’ll know.”

As the young lady came into Byleth’s room, despite the fact that she has been here several times during lunch breaks, she always maintained the cleanliness of her room. Well, as expected from her professor. She sat down on one of the chairs while the older lady went through her shelves to look for the gift she prepared for Edelgard.

“Here it is. Open it up.”

She gave a brown bag to Edelgard. Obviously she was confused about what it was but she couldn’t tell what it was from its weight and shape. As she put her hand in, she pulled out a beautiful red scarf. Deep crimson color. It was simple, yet classic and elegant. Byleth explained herself that she felt guilty that she wasn’t able to prepare any decent birthday gift for Edelgard earlier because she was extremely busy adjusting herself to her new life here as an instructor at the monastery. However, after knowing the young emperor for a while she was able to carefully pick a gift for her.

“I hope you like it.”

“T-This scarf...it’s beautiful, and its texture, it feels remarkably smooth.”

“Good eyes, it is 100% silk. I came across it when one of the traveling merchants dropped by.”

“This is extremely expensive! Professor, I cannot accept such an extravagant gift like this...”

“But if you don’t, then I would feel terribly sad.”

The professor certainly knew what to say to her student. She knew how to make a comeback against Edelgard’s sense of humbleness to ensure that she wouldn’t possibly refuse the gift she carefully picked for her. The young lady wanted to say something but she couldn’t do it after seeing Byleth looking at her with such gentle enchanting eyes. She had no choice but to sigh and reluctantly accepted it without further ado because she didn’t want to hurt her professor’s feelings.

“Very well then...I will accept it wholeheartedly, my teacher. I’m deeply touched by your kindness. It is beautiful, I love it. Thank you so much, I promise I will take care of it.”

“I’m glad you like it, but that’s not only it.”

“Are there more surprises? Please, you gave me more than what I deserve.”

“This is nothing, Edelgard. What I want to show you is what I recently got my hands on.”

She picked a leather pouch from her shelf and its content were seeds, but it’s no ordinary seeds. These are seeds of scarlet carnations. She asked Jeralt’s mercenary friends to help find these special seeds on her behalf, in which they just passed it to her a few days ago. Edelgard was completely speechless, she never thought that she would see the seeds within her lifetime. As she grew up, these beautiful flowers have become extremely rare after people harvested them from the wild to sell in the market at a considerable price to the point it almost disappeared from the face of Fodlan.

“A-Are you serious? The seeds of scarlet carnations? Those things are extremely rare! How did you manage to...”

“Don’t underestimate the connections of the mercenaries. I asked my father’s friends to help out. You love scarlet carnations, don’t you? Shall we give it a shot and grow it together in the garden of the monastery?”

“My teacher...I...I don’t know what to say...I’m really happy right now.”

Edelgard let out such a radiant smile that could literally light up the entire room. She was extremely touched by Byleth’s effort to get it for her that she couldn’t give a big hug. She went in and embrace her professor tightly regardless of whether Byleth would realize her strong beating heart or not.

“Thank you professor...that means a lot to me. Your gift...and those seeds. I would love to grow them with you.”

Usually, it was the mischievous professor that would enjoy making her student blush, but this time it was Edelgard that made Byleth’s cheeks turned slightly pink before letting out a smile of relief. Aside from the enjoyment of teasing her student, she enjoys making her happy the most. The professor embraced and pulled her in closer into her embrace. They stayed in that moment of silence for a short while before the professor made the first break to plant her a soft kiss on her forehead.

She was surprised and turned even redder. Edelgard wouldn’t want to make any eye contact with Byleth right now because she felt like the professor would be able to see through into her soul. The sly lady pinched her cheeks gently while staring at her with such adoring eyes.

“You’re being too cute that I just have to give you a kiss.”

“...You’re such a bully sometimes.”

“Thank you for spending the day with me. Shall I drop you back at your quarters?”

“That will be okay. It’s better I head back myself.”

“Very well then, see you tomorrow.”

“Good night...”

Edelgard was about to leave her teacher’s quarters but she stopped...but decided to make that turn back towards the professor before she made the boldest move she has ever done in her life. Byleth was too surprised to even react as she felt the soft lips made contact with her cheeks. Before she had a chance to say anything, the radiant noble headed towards the doors as she revealed her sweetest smile to Byleth.

“Thank you for today as well as the gifts. See you tomorrow, my teacher.”

She didn’t give Byleth a chance to say a word before disappeared from her sight. The dumbfounded professor slowly caressed her cheek that was kissed by Edelgard before she felt the instant blood rush across her face. Luckily, Edelgard left before she could’ve seen her professor blushing so badly like this. Byleth would’ve been embarrassed to show this side of her to the young noble, at this time being.

_‘ Wow, you turned instantly red. Someone is blushing real bad. ’_

“B-Be quiet...”

_‘ In the usual case, your heart would’ve raced to the rooftop. But unfortunately, with the core embedded onto your heart, you wouldn’t get to experience it. ’_

She slowly guided her hand to her heart where she felt absolute silence beneath her chest ribs. The sensation of heart-pounding or racing against one’s chest is not a kind of experience that Byleth would have. She learned them from novels and books, but never knew how it felt. Everything from - beating out of exhaustion, out of love, out of embarrassment, or due to an adrenaline rush. She wondered, if she were to be a normal child with a beating heart, would she experience that so-called ‘heart-throbbing’ from that kiss?

_‘ You should admit it. You are falling in love with that young lady. ’_

“...”

_‘ Of course, nothing is wrong with that. It is good to experience what love is. Those feelings are what will make you human and remind you what’s important to you. ’_

“...reminding myself...what’s important to me.”

Normally people would think of their family. Obviously she thought of her father, Jeralt, but the next person that came into her mind was the image of the white-haired noble with those enchanting lavender eyes. She didn’t know why Edelgard came into her mind, but that was more than enough indication that the young lady has a special place in Byleth’s heart.

_‘ Time to go to bed. It will be another long day for us ’_

“...Right.”

Thinking about the adult Edelgard in the nightmare realm. It is so different from her current vibrant Edelgard. The flame emperor barely smiles and Byleth remembered those violet eyes filled with burdens, distrust, and torment. Meanwhile, her noble student’s eyes are filled with radiance, merriment and hopeful. They are complete opposite...but Byleth knew they were the same individual at the same time.

-

Luckily the following day is another day-off for the students. Byleth and Edelgard met up in the garden as they promised to plant out the scarlet carnations. Both of them did their research on how to grow them successfully in the greenhouse by replicating a particular kind of soil that’s suitable to grow them. It was their first time trying to plant together...it was messy, but they had plenty of fun together.

“I wonder how it would turn out...”

“Likewise. We just have to wait and see how it goes.”

Edelgard stared at the lump of soil containing the carnation seed before letting out a smile. She was excited to see how it would turn out to be. After their planting, they headed to have some tea time together in the garden nearby to continue their private time together.

Byleth discussed with her how she’s amazed by everyone’s progression this week, it was clearly evident that everyone made a significant improvement since she was away. Edelgard told her that everyone was highly motivated to become stronger so that they would be able to catch up with her - so that they could fight by her side and not always have to be protected.

“Lysithea is training extremely hard right now. She got us worried sometimes that she would overdo herself but we know how stubborn she is.”

“...I’m proud of all of you. I really am.”

Byleth smiled against the edge of her teacup. That itself made Edelgard blushed slightly with great pride and joy that the House of Black Eagles could become a class that the ex-mercenary could be proud of. It was another lazy day they spent together and they decided to sit under the tree’s shade, indulging in this peaceful moment - holding one another’s hand.

“It is so peaceful and quiet, isn’t?”

“...”

“Professor?”

Edelgard turned around to see Byleth already fell asleep. She was sleeping soundly and quietly and the young noble couldn’t help but giggle upon witnessing such a childish sleeping face of hers for the very first time.

“She must be really tired.”

Slowly guiding the professor’s head onto her lap, allowing her to sleep in a proper angle so she wouldn’t wake up with a sore neck. Running her fingers through Byleth’s hair for the first time, it was so soft and silky. She could smell her signature iris scent as well. Edelgard felt her heart pounding and smiled lovingly as she stroke Byleth’s head in her sleep. She wished this moment could last forever...and that she could become someone that can be by her professor’s side closely, just like this. When she thought of someone else being close and intimate to Byleth, it made her wanted to puke. It is not something she could imagine.

She’s slowly becoming possessive of her professor. She wants to be the special one in her eyes. Through time, she gradually had to admit that she has fallen in love with Byleth dearly.

“Professor Byleth...”

Uttering her name, hoping that one day she could simply just call her name as an equal. Hoping that one day she wouldn’t be seen just as her student, but her partner, significant other. She wanted to hear Byleth call her nickname, El, as well.

“Please, don’t ever leave me...stay with me...I really need you, my teacher.”

-

_\--- It’s lonely...even though I have my friends there supporting me, it still feels ...lonely at times._

_The pleading words echoed in her mind as Byleth could only feel the emotions running inside her chest. It is so warm. Filled with love, for someone. It wanted to pour out from her chest. The more she tried to suppress it the stronger it wants to push out._

_\--- I’ll be there with you. You won’t be alone. I never want you to be._

_Another clutch in her chest. The throbbing feeling, overwhelming Byleth. She couldn’t understand what she was hearing inside her head - but it felt as if she was a part of it._

_\--- I will hold your hand like this...I promise…_

_\--- Even though I’m cursed...to hurt those around me?_

_\--- You won’t hurt me. Even if you do, my feelings would not change._

_\--- I, uh… are you sure about this?_

_\--- You can trust me. No matter how long it takes...I will still love you dearly._

_The overflowing happiness warmed Byleth’s heart. She couldn’t grasp the complete image of what she’s feeling and seeing right now. It was so fragmented. All she could remember were the feelings that carved onto her very soul._

_-_

For god knows how long time went by. Byleth slowly waking up from her nap and had the unusual dream as usual…it was do fragmented that she didn’t comprehend what she was seeing or feeling. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Edelgard’s calm sleeping face.

“...Edelgard.”

She extended her hand to feel those warm cheeks to know that it was real. She’s back to her world once again. Watching Edelgard’s sleeping face somewhat clicked something inside her. She was still overwhelmed by the emotions that poured into her from the dream… so much happiness and agonizing reminiscences. A tear ran down her cheek, but it wasn’t hers. She was very happy yet very sad at the same time. It was as if Byleth was crying on someone's behalf...


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After many months, I finally got to finish this. The delay was more so to improve my writing compared to the previous version of this chapter. (I had to rewrite this, whee.) Hope you enjoy this! Kate will take care of the next chapter, so please look forward to that soon!

It had been exactly one month since the first transfer occurred. The shift from one realm to another had become such a daily occurrence, it naturally ebbs itself into the woman’s lifestyle. Not that Byleth Eisner would want to get used to it. It was taking a massive toll on her both physically and emotionally.

Blurred schematics danced in her sight without warning. Black, blue, shadows, and crimson meshed into a glob, the sensation of all five of her senses still operational midst of the enigmatic visions. She recalled the soft implantation of her lips, she recalled the gentle touches upon her fingers, she recalled the surge of energy deep within her chest cavity, and she recalled the agonizing burn jutting down her spine.

Yet Byleth could not piece it all together. Not even Sothis could comprehend the muddled experience she went through.

“Byleth!?”

The recent dizzying spell induced powerful nausea, knocking Byleth down on all four. Byleth was out in the forest by her lone self, located at the outskirt of the monastery. Far from familiar faces and allies, she was spared the embarrassment of vomiting acid from her empty stomach, the pounding migraine threatening to split her skull in half. Tears streamed down her face as the flowing substance burnt her throat. Any attempt to hold it back only served to amplify the opposite effect. Sothis soothed the woman’s back, her brows arched, and whispered comforting words to her host.

One long minute ticked by until the professor heaves came to a closure. Byleth shivered violently, the cool air from the woods brushing upon her exposed, sweat-glistened skin, goosebumps making its appearance. Sothis continued to rub her trembling back and frowned.

“We have to figure out what’s going on before you get any worse.”

Byleth managed to weakly nod. Then, she grunted. She could hardly stand on her feet, now forced to crawl towards a nearby tree with the assistance from Sothis. The headache was not getting any better. However, the waves of nausea skimped back to nothingness. Byleth released a shaky exhale once her back flopped onto the rough bark.

“…”

She had not expected this to occur. At least, here in her own world. Physical side effects that hindered her daily life activities were prominent in the realm where the older Edelgrad resided. This was a first here. Byleth grimaced. The teal-haired woman would have to send regards to Lady Rhea for accepting her proposal to head into the forest for supplies. It was already bad enough that she was poisoned in a battle not too long ago.

She shuddered. Her recovery was a miracle. Had it not been for Manuela and Edelgard, she would have perished.

_‘ But at least I would have died in my world. ‘_

The back of her head pressed upon the tree, her navy hues gazing upward, peering through the ruffling leaves. She chuckled. Then, she stifled a laugh. What sorcery had been cast to torture her? She dug her fingers into the earth, dirt scraped into her nails, and felt a tear slide down her face. And Sothis could only watch. This, accompanied by the growing intensity of her side effects from her transitions, cracked Byleth.

_‘ I want to die. ‘_

Byleth’s chest rose. But she could not die. Through her despair, two bright lights illuminated space in front of her. Edelgard von Hresvelg stood with a smile. One a student, one an emperor. The two females smiled and extended their hand out to her. Standing tall and proud, they were there for Byleth, and will always be. Just like how Byleth was for them. In the dark scape, Byleth stretched out her hand.

She missed. The ex-mercenary swept her hand down, catching only the air. When she straightened her back, Byleth noticed that they had taken a couple of steps backward. The older and younger Edelgard carried their own white light, illuminating a glowing path with each step. Once they’ve stopped, Byleth’s eyes widened.

They’ve made a forked road. Their hand raised once more, their lilac eyes crinkling, and smile as lovely as scarlet carnations blooming under the sun. Byleth chewed her lips. Edelgard was someone she cherished so very much.

But… which Edelgard did she feel this way towards?

Was it the young Edelgard, who flourished in her innocent life outside of her traumatic past? Or was it the older Edelgard, who fully understood the weight of her role as an emperor for the Adrestian Empire?

_‘ Edelgard… ‘_

Byleth sighed and wiped the soiled aftermath from the corner of her lips. Eventually, she got up to her feet and trekked to the nearest lake. Water splashed onto her skin and her outerwear was vigorously hand-washed, erasing the evidence that transpired. Sothis floated beside her, hands behind her back, and tilted her head forward. Silence remained in the atmosphere. Only the sound of light clops and chirps signaled the movement of time. Byleth hung her wet overcoat on a tree branch and sat on a tree stump. The teal-haired woman hid her face, breathing into her palms, and stayed still.

A strained smile drew upon Sothis’s lips. The young woman stood in front of her and ruffled Byleth’s hair. Normally, Byleth would smack Sothis’s hand away. Childish treatments were not welcomed. But the older woman leaned into the blissful warmth, the stoic expression melting away.

“Whatever you choose, I will always be here for you,” Sothis whispered. She took back her hand. Then, she softly said, “Let’s go back, shall we?”

“…yes.”

Sothis bounced away as Byleth stood up. Byleth gathered her belongings, the iron sword and Sword of Creator nestled on her waist, and the somewhat-dried overcoat tossed over her arm. She rubbed the thick fabric between her index and thumb. Surmising it would dry by the time they get to the Officers Academy, the professor glanced over her shoulder shortly afterward. She spotted Sothis floating from where she had originally rested.

Byleth adjusted the straps from her supply bag full of wild mushrooms and approached Sothis. Sothis was staring at a patch of flowers. The transcendent being got onto her knees, brushing upon the greenery, her fingertips teasing the delicate white petals from the daffodils.

“So pretty…” Sothis’s expression softened. “This reminds me of the scarlet carnations you’ve recently planted with Edelgard.”

“…”

“I hope they grow to be as pretty as these.”

Byleth chuckled and turned her back to Sothis. Without waiting for her friend, she smiled.

“It would be the prettiest out of all the flowers in Fodlan.”

**[-----]**

Some time passed upon her return to Garreg Mach Monastery. Darkness had shrouded the area as the light came from new sources sprinkled throughout the premise. Animals that once frolicked the land made a hasty getaway with the nocturnal creatures waking up to a new day. Many of her students had already retreated to their dormitories, their curfew set well after her return. In the students’ place, security guards, soldiers, and the familiar, kind Gatekeeper greeted her in their stead.

“Greetings, Professor!” The Gatekeeper saluted. “Nothing to report.”

_‘ He’s the same just like in the other world… ‘_

Save it for his deepened voice. His passionate greetings and cheerful disposition never failed to make Byleth crack a smile. If anything, he and Sothis were one of the few people in her life to provide a sense of comfort, the others being Edelgard and Jeralt.

She nodded. “I’m happy to hear that.”

“I am too. I know some of my colleagues have complained about a lack of things to do in the monastery, but I think it’s important we maintain this peace.”

“?”

“You see…” He shifted the weight between his feet and looked down. “I lost an important person from here when I was a student. They were… a professor that I admired.”

“…”

The teal-haired woman said nothing. The Gatekeeper scratched his flushed cheeks and raised his gaze.

“He was always so smart. Knew what his students were thinking and when to help us,” he said with a smile, albeit forced. “I can’t forget how strong he is too. I swear upon the Goddess, he could face an entire army and come out unscathed! You would think he’s the roughest and gruffest guy out there.”

“Is he?”

The Gatekeeper shook his head. “Not at all! In fact, he’s the sweetest man you would ever meet. Too bad he didn’t speak much. Then again, he was a man of little words.” He took a couple of steps forward. Without warning, he reached out and grabbed ahold of her hands, startling Byleth. Their eyes locked, he said, “You remind me of him so much.” He dryly swallowed and enveloped her hands in his. The young man tightened his grip. “Professor…. I’m afraid that you might disappear one day like him.”

“Disappear?”

“He never came back during an operation to defend the monastery.” The Gatekeeper shakily exhaled. “My classmates and I… I… We waited for him We waited so long for him. Hours turned to days… and days turned to weeks… When a new season arrived, it was Lady Rhea who had to break the news to us.”

Byleth shifted her eyes. She remained mute as the Gatekeeper’s words still flowed out of his mouth like a river stream.

“That’s when I found the resolve to become a gatekeeper after I graduated. I want to protect the monastery and I want to protect those in them. I also want to be the first one to greet and say farewell to everyone.” He brought her hands close to his chest, the young woman taking a step forward. The cool exterior of his chest plate greeted her palms as he tilted his head up, his brown hues visible to the instructor. Bashful, he said, “Most importantly, I want to protect you. I want to be the first person to welcome you back to the monastery after an assignment from Lady Rhea.”

“…”

Noticing the silence, the Gatekeeper whispered, squeezing her hands, “Please… promise me that you would always return to us.”

Who did he remind Byleth of? These words faintly tickled the back of her skull, itching to pull out the memories associated with his pleas. She moistened her lips. It was not Jeralt nor Edelgard, and it was not any of the students of staff. In this world of hers, everyone had assumed she would always return, and she had always met their expectations. Yet the Gatekeeper’s begs were a tad too familiar to her liking. It was almost as if the Gatekeeper had said this to her again, even though this was the first she’s heard of.

Regardless, she adjusted her hold, squeezing his hand in return, and smiled. “You have my words, Gatekeeper.”

This strengthened her reminder of the world she came from. She had always been a part of this world. This world where she is a professor, this world that she taught the Black Eagles House, this world where she lives in pure bliss. Not the other world with the older Edelgard. It was a world full of cruelty, bloodshed, and anguish.

Byleth’s smile faltered.

But is this truly what she wanted?

**[-----]**

Some time after she bid farewell to the Gatekeeper, she slowly walked back to her quarter. Or so she originally planned.

Night owls continued to hoot and flutter their wings in the background. The moon generously shone its gentle rays of light upon the monastery’s ground as Byleth and Sothis were fixated on an object. They stood over it. It was the grave that marked the place of her mother’s eternal slumber. Byleth kneeled down to one knee, her fingers smoothing the stony surface.

“So… this is where your mother rests,” Sothis said.

“…”

She never knew her mother. At the time of birth, Byleth’s memories consisted of Jeralt, Sothis, and his mercenaries. There was also that white-haired girl she befriended for a short period of time. But there was no one who was her mother. Byleth drew her lip to a line. Then, her eyes crinkled. If there was one thing she knew about her mother, it was how much Jeralt loved her.

Whenever he spoke about his wife, his eyes would shine. Pink discoloration emitted from his cheeks as he fondly recalled their vivid memories. He would laugh and tell embarrassing tales of how they first met. Trying to be a shiny knight in armor to Sitri, only to find that Sitri might be his shiny knight in armor. Jeralt cackled all the time about it. And he would offer the brightest smile he’s ever given, right next to the smiles he’s shared with his daughter.

_‘ I’m jealous he could feel this way. ‘_

Byleth occasionally daydreams of an alternate universe where she could meet her mother. Perhaps her mother didn’t pass away in that timeline. Would her life be any different? Would Byleth had grown up as a holy maiden or knight that served the Church of Seiros? Most importantly, would she ever meet Edelgard?

“Your mother was always so kind.”

Another person was present by her side. The older male kneeled down to one knee similar to his daughter, his hand reached out. He smoothed the tombstone as if he was rubbing Sitri’s head. Byleth looked at him and noticed his smile.

“Father…”

It was the same exact smile he had for her mother.

“You take after her a lot.”

“?”

Jeralt, a hand still on the stone, glanced at Byleth. “Your looks, your voice, your petite height…”

“Am I really that alike to mother?”

“Yes. Um, well, your voice is a bit deeper than hers. There’s also that hair color of yours…” He pulled back his hand and huffed. “Some of my genetics messed it all up. Sorry ‘bout that, kid.”

He laughed. Then, the older male ruffled her hair. The moment he touched the top of her head, Jeralt’s eyes widened, his daughter jumping into his chest. Jeralt glanced down. Byleth wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest. When he called for her name, there was no answer. He sighed. Jeralt pulled her closer with a firm embrace. He patted her back, resting his face into her teal hair, and asked, “What’s wrong, Byleth? It’s not every day you give me a hug.” If anything, they never, save it for the times when she was a child.

No response still. But he was patient, his fingers lazily running through her disheveled hair, rubbing her tense back.

“…what do you think about death?”

“Death?” His eyes softened. “Now that’s a question I’ve never expect to come out of your mouth. Care to tell me why?”

“…”

Flashbacks began to replay in her head. And those flashbacks dragged its feet, relishing the young woman of a world where her father died. The older Edelgard and her remaining classmates confessed how his death suffocated the monastery, and it nearly killed Byleth. The professor had little to no energy to teach. She would stay in his office, never leaving for a week straight, coercions largely ignored. And it nearly repeated, the current Byleth thunderstruck with the news of Jeralt’s death. She would have succumbed to a state of depression had it not been for Sothis’s warning.

_‘ Do NOT mix them up! ‘_ Sothis’s words echoed. _‘ You belong here in your own world. That world was not yours to begin with. ‘_

Still, despite her message, Byleth became more aware of a person’s mortality. If she had lost Jeralt in this world… Byleth bit her lip, her hands balled into fists.

“I’m afraid of losing you here.”

“Hurm, so you’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“…”

“…you’ve changed.” Byleth peeled herself away and stared up at Jeralt. Her father smiled, pushing back her thick bangs, and kissed her forehead. His thick beard tickled her skin, the instructor resisting the urge to swat his face away. The older man laughed and parted from their hug. When Byleth faced the tombstone again, Jeralt draped his arm over her shoulders, leaning in close until he could speak into her ear. “You’ve finally shown me something more than a frown on your face.”

Just as rare as Jeralt’s affectionate kiss was, so was Byleth’s smile.

“Professor?”

Byleth’s vision immediately flashed with white. She blinked, and her vision became normal again. She still stared at the tombstone on this dark night. Only this time, it was worn, an additional name ebbed on the surface.

“…”

There was that same warmth on her shoulders. But the teal-haired woman knew it wasn’t from Jeralt. The metallic armor pressed against her arms, Ingrid appearing from her peripheral vision. She sat in the same exact fashion as Jeralt. Byleth’s eyes softened and touched Ingrid’s hand that dangled over her shoulder.

_‘ I must’ve lost track of time. ‘_

A simple visit to her parents’ grave before departing from the monastery for a skirmish dipped her into the memories of her world. She stifled a sigh.

“Are you okay, Professor?” Byleth felt her fingers intertwine with Ingrid’s. These touches reminded her of Jeralt. The professor glanced. A pair of emerald hues stared with those brows arched at an angle. Byleth frowned. Was Ingrid worried about her? She silently nodded to the blonde knight. Ingrid sighed and rested her chin on Byleth’s shoulder, staring at the tombstone. “I’m sure Jeralt reunited with his wife.”

“…yeah.”

Even though this was not her world, the pain of losing Jeralt was still there. Byleth narrowed her eyes and dryly swallowed.

She had to be careful.

Ingrid flickered her gaze from the grave to her teacher and back again. This repeated a few times with little pause in between. The young knight parted her lips. Silence. Ingrid closed her mouth and firmed her lips, a tinge of pink sprinkled upon her cheeks. She adjusted her posture, pulling Byleth closer. The infamous mercenary raised an eyebrow. Ingrid’s features grew hotter by the seconds, her blush darkening once their eyes met. The navy hues that reflected a knight that betrayed her nation. A knight that betrayed her nation for the sake of this one person.

“Professor?” she finally asked in a small voice. “I… hope to elaborate on what I wish to say to you.”

“?”

Byleth tilted her head to the side and gently held Ingrid’s hand. Ingrid nearly squeaked from her touch. She loudly cleared her throat and squeezed her instructor’s hand, trying to keep the heat from reaching her head. If it hadn’t done so.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I, um— that time before Lady Edelgard interrupted us at the greenhouse.”

Oh… Oh, that’s what she wanted to speak about? Frankly, the teal-haired woman had forgotten all about it. She hadn’t thought much about their interaction well after the side effects kicked in. Not to mention the lack of reprise in between her jump to both worlds at random intervals. Distinguishing what event occurred when and where increasingly became difficult. Byleth playfully curled and uncurled her fingers on Ingrid’s.

Ingrid lost her breath when Byleth smiled. She placed a hand over her chest, the Pegasus rider’s heart skipping a beat.

“You’re beautiful,” Ingrid whispered.

“Huh?”

The alumni’s face flushed, the tip of her ears becoming bright red. Ingrid lowered her head, burying her face into Byleth’s shoulder, and hastily said, “I-I mean, I think you should smile more! You look beautiful when you do so.” Byleth was immediately interrupted with Ingrid pressing against her back, the ex-Blue Lion member exhaling loudly. “But I want to talk to you about something else.” Their fingers intertwined again. This time, with great force. Byleth tried to look at Ingrid, but their position forced the sword-wielder to stare straight at her parents’ grave. And it worked in favor of the red Ingrid. “Will you hear me out?”

“Yes.”

“Professor…”

“?”

“I… um, I lo—”

“Ara~ Did I interrupt something?”

“?!”

The songstress’s voice startled the wits out of the two, more so with Ingrid. The blonde knight had fallen to her side with a loud thump. Byleth gasped for breath, leaning forward and placing a hand over her still heart. Ingrid flailed her arms on the ground, a variety of excuses prepped and ready for delivery to the newcomer. But once she saw the perpetrator, she froze. Then, she dropped her arms onto the pavement, frowning at Dorothea.

“Dorothea,” Byleth said and rose from her kneeled position. Ingrid scowled in the background as the young woman’s features reverted to its stoic nature. “What are you doing here?”

“Guess I did interrupt you both, didn’t I?” Dorothea crossed her arms with a cheeky smile. “Ingrid, please tell me you told her what you wanted to say.”

“I was about to until you came along.”

“Really? Well, go on and tell her then. It’s not like my presence is going to make any difference.”

“I-I’m not so sure about that—”

“Tell me what?” Byleth asked. When they looked, she motioned her hand with raised brows. “I’m right here, you know.”

Ingrid felt beads of sweat fly out of her head. She chewed on her lower lip. Then, with balled fists, glanced downward.

“…that I enjoy your company.”

“Oh.”

Byleth frowned. Compared to most people, social skills were a lackluster ability she possessed, but she felt something was off about Ingrid’s confession. She reached out to Ingrid. Right when Byleth’s fingers brushed upon hers, Ingrid pulled them back, placing them on her chest plate.

The young warrior bowed to them and murmured, “We should get going. Lady Edelgard had waited long enough for us.” Byleth tried to call out to her, but Ingrid responded with a pivot of her feet, blue cape fluttering, and a walk away from Byleth and Dorothea.

Dorothea sighed and shook her head. “That girl… She needs to be more honest with her feelings.”

“?”

The professor stared at the songstress. Dorothea, noticing her intense gaze, lightly giggled. She closed one eye, waggled a finger to Byleth, and turned away from her. Just like Ingrid, she too walked away from Byleth, albeit the opposite direction from the blonde woman.

What kind of friend would she be if she couldn’t get the flustered knight to finally come clean with Byleth all on her own?

Once their footsteps faded into the background, Byleth’s shoulders slumped. She closed her eyes and grumbled, “…what is going on with those two?”

Their cryptic matter could be explored once they return from their operation. They would have plenty of time to sit down and talk together about it. And Byleth would be more than happy to do so. But for now, Byleth headed to where Edelgard waited for her.

**[-----]**

Skirmishes after skirmishes, the bloodshed was endless. No matter how many times Byleth swung her relic around, hordes of soldiers from enemy nations appeared in place of their dead companions. Crimson stains soaked her worn armor and clung to her sweat-glistened skin. Screams and bellows echoed within her skull, replaying in an untimely manner. The stench of death suffocated the ex-mercenary whenever she tried to clean her calloused hands of the flesh and bodily fluids from them. And she could not erase the memories of the dead cursing her existence. It followed her well into her own world, Byleth unable to shake off the ghastly smell that lingered in her nose.

Byleth, who had never once participated in warfare, finally understood the detrimental effect it had on a person.

But if it meant serving Edelgard, the young woman who shouldered a heavy burden of the Adrestian Empire’s fate, then she is willing to help her, no matter what. Even if this Edelgard is not her Edelgard, she is still Edelgard von Hresvelg.

And she still cared for her.

Byleth glanced at the door. She pushed the door open and was greeted with Edelgard, the alumni, and varying commanders from the Adrestian Empire. The door clicked shut once she walked in.

“I’m happy that you could join us,” Edelgard said.

The professor nodded and approached the center of the room. A large map of Fodlan spread on the table, small color-coded figurines and blocks propped on its surface. Byleth watched one of the commanders touch the red blocks with his stick. He pushed it forward and shook his head.

“We have to defend against the Kingdom of Faerghus,” he said. “It would be disastrous if Lord Blaiddyd’s force breaks through.”

“I disagree,” Edelgard replied. Since half of his nation allied with the Adrestian Empire’s goals, it would only be fair to take Claude down first.”

The emperor proposed a major operation that followed the skirmishes from the empire’s borders. She motioned her hand to the map of Fodlan. Pointing at the Bridge of Myrddin and Ordelia, the emperor continued, “We shall make our way here and meet up with those who side with the Empire.”

There were no objections. The plan immediately went into action, with the key figures of the operation consisting of Byleth, Edelgard, Ingrid, Sylvain, Ferdinand, and Shamir.

“…”

Yet their plan kicked off to a rocky start.

It was hot. Their marches were long and exhausting. A large number of foot soldiers obediently tailed after the six leaders. Ingrid flew on ahead with her Pegasus battalion to scout. Sylvain and Ferdinand led the group on their horses, with Shamir right behind them on foot. Byleth and Edelgard located in the middle of the group to safeguard.

It was inevitable that complaints began to stir among the mass.

“Gosh, how much longer are we going to be in this heat?” Ferdinand grumbled, wiping his forehead. “If I had known, I would have brought more water!”

“Don’t you have a gallon with you?” Sylvain asked and stared at the heavy pouch clicked to Ferdinand’s saddle. “That should be plenty to get by until we reach the next town.”

Ferdinand shook his head. “That is drinking water. I would prefer to use some cold water to pour over my head right about now!”

“Just chop your hair off,” Shamir said. “You won’t be as hot.”

“I can’t just do that!”

“Easy. Use this dagger.”

“NOOOOOO! I promised him that I would keep my hair long like this!”

“Promised who?”

“I… I would prefer not to say his name.”

Shamir frowned. Reading her mind, Ferdinand bitterly smiled and returned his gaze forward. “He died in my arms during a battle initiated by Felix.”

“I see.”

Though the archer’s tone was detached, a certain horse rider nearby felt his heart clench, his eyes shifted elsewhere.

_‘ Felix… ‘_ Sylvain’s grip on the rein tightened._ ‘ I… I don’t know how I could face him. ‘_

Flashes of the time they’ve spent together since they were children flickered in his mind. They acted as sparring buddies. They’ve played as silly fools out in public when Sylvain was trying to pick up the ladies. They role-played as lovers when Sylvain and Felix had, ironically, bumped into each other at the Goddess Tower during the dance. They experimented with each other on the mattress about the likes and dislikes of a man’s body. They shared their first proper kiss during a confession from Sylvain. They made an eternal promise to be by each other’s side even after death.

“…heh.” The Crest bearer cracked a smile. “I screwed things up, didn’t I, Felix.”

They will never be able to touch each other. They will never be able to kiss each other. They were not subjected to a fate far worse than a broken heart. Sylvain grimaced. The next time they see each other, they will have to kill each other. And was all because Sylvain trusted in Edelgard’s intention to overthrow the Crest system.

“I’m so sorry…”

A black blur zipped through the air and over the soldiers’ heads. Something slammed into Sylvain’s shoulder. He only caught a brief sight of it, the impact hitting with a force of a roundhouse kick. The noble was thrown off his horse with an outcry. Pain flared up from his side and back upon contact with the ground.

Some soldiers gathered around, a healer digging in his pouch for a vulnerary. Sylvain simply blinked and stared up at the clear blue sky. An arrow sprouted from his left shoulder, tearing through his chainmail, and digging comfortably into his flesh. He groaned from the sharp pain as Ferdinand’s horse kicked its hooves up.

“We’re under attack!” he screamed.

Shamir immediately dashed to the side. Her battalions followed suit, the group reaching for their bow and arrows. Footsteps thumped the land as Shamir looked up to the sky.

Pegasus and wyverns flew overhead. And they were flying to them at an alarming speed. Shamir grimaced and pulled back an arrow while running. She slid to a stop and closed one eye, releasing her grip. A blur flew fast into the air. Her arrow was immediately accompanied by a dozen others, all flying straight at the beasts.

Some arrows punctured. Some missed. Some deflected.

As a few enemies dropped from the sky like flies, on the ground level, an army charged at them in this plain. It was the Leicester Alliance. And Ingrid was nowhere in sight.

“Something must’ve happened to Ingrid,” Byleth said with gravity. “I hope she’s okay.”

Byleth unsheathed her Sword of Creator as Edelgard chewed the inside of her cheek. They were clearly outnumbered. Some of the men and women in their battalions fidgeted and took a step back. But most ran ahead, their weapons raised. They’d crash into the enemy with a mighty roar, pressing them back, keeping them from getting anywhere near Lady Edelgard and Byleth.

“Professor!” Ferdinand swung his lance to the side. “I’m going on ahead!”

He didn’t wait for a response. Ferdinand’s hair flowed with the wind as he galloped fast with his squad. One of his soldiers moved in front of him. A smoke bomb in hand, she tossed it between the two arriving forces. White smoke filled a part of the battlefield. Some foes pulled their mounts back. Others, by foot, ran blindly ahead, their ravenous eyes seeking for bloodshed.

Ferdinand wasted no time bursting from the smoky air. His lance was the first to pierce through enemy ranks. Ferdinand bellowed at the enemy soldiers and horizontally tore his weapon out of his victim. A sickening squelch shredded through the man’s side, bits of flesh stubbornly clinging to the steel lance as blood flung. He screamed and fell from his mount. But his scream was cut off, the horses from Ferdinand’s battalion trampling over his wounded body.

One soldier leaped into the air with a sword over his head. He screamed and dared to strike an iron sword on Ferdinand’s sturdy breastplate. It barely kissed the metallic surface, the blade flung out of his hand, a long lance sprouting out of his back. The sudden force caused blood to erupt from his mouth, roughly pressing his body into Ferdinand. Ferdinand’s gaze sharpened as he mumbled,

“Farewell.”

His other battalions dashed through with their own lances. Unfortunately, not all were like Ferdinand, their fate ending at death’s door.

Byleth glanced over her shoulder. Sylvain was still being treated with the arrow. She looked back to Edelgard. They looked into each other’s eyes. Then, they nodded and adjusted their stance, the Sword of Creator and Aymr raised. The enemy soldiers ahead of them wavered as their battalions shouted and struck from amid the fighting.

A few of their foes dropped their weapons and ran. Byleth drew her lips to a line and ran forward, Edelgard following close behind. The teal-haired woman reeled her arms back. She hit an axe-user like a boulder rolling down the hill, blood tossed into the air. He stumbled backward. But she didn’t stop there. The blade carved through his chest retracted. Then, Byleth swung it down onto his head. He didn’t make a peep and crumbled to the ground.

Another soldier thrust her lance to Byleth. She straightened her back and watched Edelgard jump over Byleth’s shoulder. The emperor roared and slammed her axe into her head. Hard. It crunched into her skull, her eyes nearly popping out, her face caved from one side. The female soldier was thrown to the side and rolled away from their sight. Edelgard raised her relic again and huffed.

“This could be a long battle,” Edelgard grumbled.

Byleth grimaced and walked near her side. The two soldiers they’d killed were instantly replaced with two other soldiers. A lancer and a sword user again. Byleth narrowed her eyes and flicked her sword down.

“But we can shorten it,” Byleth said. “If anything, I would like for this to end as soon as possible.”

They ran in opposite directions.

The lancer became frantic and thrust his weapon frantically. He stifled a scream when Edelgard growled. This was less about killing and more about pushing her away. He swore they came with outstanding numbers. They had outnumbered the group, and the ruler of the Adrestian Empire is present. Killing her would end the war. It would! But their small numbers worked in Edelgard’s favor instead. His lance lopped off, the tip flying high in the air. He could barely shriek when the red demon came for his neck.

Another broken enemy collapsed to the ground. Edelgard swung her axe backward, smashing it into another soldier squarely on the chest. She had to keep her momentum up. She had to continue slamming and smashing her heavy axe into their enemies, crushing them, defeating them.

From the background, Shamir rolled and dodged a flurry of arrows aimed at her direction. Some archers were unfortunate and were pinned to the ground with sprouting wooden arrows on the ground. The ex-Knight of Seiros breathed hard. She wiped the sweat from her brows and narrowed her eyes. Many mounts flew overhead with their bows and arrows. And some swooped down with a sword, axe, and lance, their arms swinging them.

“DIE!” one of them screamed.

Shamir snarled and dashed forward. “You’ll be the one to die,” she said.

Her hand reached for her waist and pulled out a dagger. The archer slid to a stop, pivoted her feet, twirled, avoiding the sword, and plunged her blade into their back. Shamir’s foe howled and her dagger was naturally torn out. Amidst the red stains were specks of purple liquid. The fate of her enemy ended in agony as they slid off their grounded mount.

“Done.”

She slid it back to its casing and hurried away to shoot more arrows. Shamir’s battalion followed suit, their arrows scattering into the sky.

Behind the frontline, Sylvain bit back a scream once the arrow was removed. He smashed his fist against the ground and gritted his teeth. With heavy breaths, the redhead grabbed the same vulnerary, popped the top off, and downed the bitter substance. Sylvain groaned.

“Dammit, I hate archers,” he spat. Just as he got back to his feet, his horse neared him. Sylvain threw his empty container to the side and wiped the corner of his mouth. “But I can’t be the only one left out of this fight.”

He sided with the Adrestian Empire for a reason. He believed in Edelgard’s purpose in this war. Her intentions, her beliefs, but most importantly, Byleth was there. And now that Byleth was back… Sylvain’s grip tightened around his retrieved silver lance and mounted on his horse. He frowned and pointed at the nearby unoccupied group. “Let’s deal with them,” he said to his battalion. “They won’t know what hit them.”

Sylvain was the final part of breaking the enemy lines. He sheared through the ranks with his lone lance, piercing and knocking off soldiers from their mounts. A wyvern flew in front of him. The dark creature howled and flapped its wings, creating strong gusts at Sylvain. He shielded his face with an arm. At that same moment, the soldier hopped off of her wyvern, her sword crashing onto him.

But Sylvain grinned. He was faster.

He jutted his lance out with minimal effort. The foolish soldier’s heart burst from the harsh impact, his tip going no further than to her spine, touching it with a clink. She died instantly. Sylvain’s eyes clouded as she slid off of his bloodied lance. His thumb brushed upon the thick substance and grimaced.

The real slaughter began.

Enemy numbers were dwindling at a fast rate. Too fast for them to replenish with any type of reinforcements. The commanders and captains of the army faltered, their commands becoming more haphazard and frantic. Various soldiers on the field wept on the ground, screaming for their mothers and fathers, crawling across the field, blood trailed from behind. And one of them stood near Byleth’s feet.

She looked down to see the young woman. Byleth moistened her lips. She raised her Sword of Creator above her head. Then, it rammed into her back. Blood flew onto Byleth’s already-splattered face. She tore her weapon out and stared at the now-still warrior. No older than Byleth… No, this soldier was just as young as Edelgard.

A sharp stab pressed upon her brain. Byleth felt her vision swim and colors beginning to blur. She shakily impressed her hand against her head with a grimace.

_‘ No…! Not right now! ‘_

Nausea wracked her figure as the ex-mercenary stumbled forward. Out of all the times for her side effects to occur, it had to happen during a battle! Byleth struggled to stand upright, her breathing heavy, sweat breaking out. But her nausea vanished the instant a shield backhanded into her head.

Her entire vision doubled— no, tripled as she tumbled onto her side, the sword still in her hand. Byleth scrambled to her feet and touched her forehead. She winced. It stung. Blood stained her fingertips as she swiftly ducked another blow. The soldier had lunged with his entire body weight, the sword sweeping overhead.

Big mistake for him. Byleth roared and swung her blade up. It parried with her enemy’s and their swords were thrown out of their hands. As their weapons flung into the air, Byleth reached back for her dagger. Yet her foe was smarter than the ones she’d met. She barely curled her fingers around the handle when her head snapped back.

“AGH!”

The man punched her squarely on the face with a gauntlet. Her nose crunched.

Byleth fell to her knees. She held her broken nose, the blood flowing past her fingers, and her eyes teared up. The soldier standing above her tried to catch his breath, cursing in between his breaths.

Normally, she would use the Divine Pulse to send her back. He punched again. But in this world, Sothis’s blessing wouldn’t work.

Byleth took the blow with anticipation and felt her brain rattle in her skull, her vision rattling with the same frequency. She fell onto her back and he wasted no time straddling Byleth. He was breathing fast and hard. Then, he smiled, a wicked smile that reveled in her fall. Her foe reeled his fist back again. Byleth’s eyes widened. She struggled, but he was too heavy, weakly pushing him off.

If only she had the Sword of Creator or had access to her dagger…

“BYLETH!”

From the corner of her eyes, she spotted an axe. Edelgard threw herself at the enemy and rammed the Aymr into his side. She knocked her opponent off with ease. Byleth slowly got up to her feet, her hand still pressed upon her nose. Edelgard wasted no time approaching her teacher.

“Are you alright, my teacher?” she asked.

The professor retracted her hand. Red stained her fingers and palm. Bloody hell. Byleth grimaced and nodded. Edelgard frowned. “I doubt you’re okay,” she said. “But here’s a vulnerary to numb your pain—” She was cut off when two soldiers launched at them from behind. Byleth narrowed her eyes and zipped past the noble.

Something thrummed inside Byleth. This rhythm of killing and dying throughout the battlefield. Byleth snagged a fallen axe on the ground and spun. The thin blade hooked one of the soldiers’ ankle. She yanked. The female warrior fell from her newfound injury with an outcry. Her comrade twisted his wrists to slash at Byleth. Byleth extended the axe just in time to block his strike.

They were locked in a power struggle. She gritted her teeth and the soldier grunted. Their arms shook violently as Byleth neared his face. Their bated breaths could be felt on each other. Byleth spat blood draining from her nose into the man’s eyes. He howled and she kicked him in the stomach. The instant he stumbled backward, the instant Edelgard ran straight into his direction, her relic pulled back.

Edelgard roared and crashed the blunt end into his skull. Another sickening crunch followed. She swung her axe down, the blood splattering on the grasses. Nearby, enemy soldiers shook in their boots, their stepping backward.

The sight of the Ashen Demon and the Flame Emperor crushing everyone in their pathway with ease… They’re monsters… Monsters! Many of them fled the scene. Those who still wished to fight directed their attention to another target. However, they were only delaying their inevitable fates.

“How mugh more arr we farcing?” Byleth asked while retrieving her sword. “Their numbargh is decrrasing.”

“Yes, their numbers are decreasing.” Edelgard raised her head. Then, she softly sighed and pulled out her handkerchief, tossing it to Byleth. “Let’s leave the rest to everyone else. I can foresee this battle ending sooner than I expected.”

Just as she said this, a couple of yards away, Shamir ran with full force. The wind blew her dark hair back as she hurried to the nearest opponent and shot an arrow. Shamir wasted no time waiting for them to fall off their mount. She seized the lancer from her wyvern and threw her off. The soldier fell onto her stomach with a thump as Shamir hopped onto the creature. She pulled on its rein and kicked its side, the creature screeching and flapping up to the sky.

She gritted her teeth. She needn’t stay up here for long. The archer retrieved three arrows at once and pulled them back on her bowstring. Pain spiked through her arm as an enemy soldier managed to slice her with his sword. Shamir jerked from her seat, but shook it off, forced her shaky arms to stay still, and pull back those arrows again.

“Sleep tight,” she whispered.

A lance entered her line of sight. And it was coming at her fast. But the swing that came at her seemed pitiful the instant a javelin shot through the wooden pole. Splinters scattered into the air as her foe became weaponless. He barely had time to react when Ingrid’s steel lance shredded through his breastplate, running through his chainmail, and ripping into his flesh.

“What took you so long, princess?”

Ingrid yanked her weapon and rolled her eyes. “Don’t call me that again, please.” But she said no more, the bruised features and sticky bangs that clung to her forehead gave it away. She twirled her lance overhead. Before Shamir and Ingrid, a dozen more flying mounts frolicked to them. The two frowned. “The least I can do is finish the battle with everyone.”

“Don’t die on us,” Shamir said. “I would hate to pick up your corpse.”

“You won’t have to worry about that.”

She cannot die. Not after what she’d done to those in the Kingdom of Faerghus. The betrayal she painfully chose to adhere to with Sylvain, Mercedes, Leonie, and Annette. But most importantly…

Ingrid glanced down to the plain. Not too far, there stood Byleth, the infamous Ashen Demon, gripping her Sword of Creator, staring at the fleeing soldiers.

Ingrid rested her hand over her chest. Her heart was beating fast. She shakily exhaled and refocused her attention.

The enemies neared…!

Ingrid’s eyes sharpened and flew fast. She jabbed her lance forward, the tip striking the enemy’s abdomen. Blood spilled from his new wound as the knight pulled her weapon. His comrade screamed at the sight. The female foe raised her sword to Ingrid as a sign of a challenge.

Fool.

Ingrid’s mount hastily flew to their left and narrowly avoided the swipe. Pieces of Ingrid roared and swung her lance at her foe. Two pegasus riders engaged in a violent contest. It was one-sided as Ingrid struck with swift brutality. And she continued with the momentum of slamming her lance into the battered soldier with quick, powerful blows, like that of a drummer pounding a furious beat.

The opponent clutched her sword over her head, leaving Ingrid squarely in control. Soon, Ingrid reeled her arms back and thrust it. Blood flung in the air as the tip of her lance protruded out of the woman’s back. Ingrid didn’t wait for her to die, yanking it out, and stabbing her once more.

“Smart,” Shamir remarked after shooting down the last wyvern. She glanced over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. “You’ll never know when they’ll come crawling back.”

Ingrid flicked her lance, the flesh of her recent foe clinging to its tip. “Can’t take my chances.”

And that was the last of the army in the sky. Down on ground level, Ferdinand and Sylvain chased away foot soldiers, the fleeing men and women hurrying away with their tails tucked between their legs.

Victory was theirs once again. But it wasn’t without sacrifices. Throughout the land, Byleth noticed a drop in battalion numbers. Each of them had at least 25 ready members. They’d all lost at least 5 of them during the sudden skirmish. Byleth sighed. She winced and felt her nose stinging underneath the handkerchief, Edelgard resting her hand on Byleth’s shoulder.

“We can finally rest,” she said.

Byleth looked to her with slanted eyes. “We still lost many good men and women.”

“Yet we were able to minimize the lost.” Edelgard faintly smiled, albeit more so that her teacher isn’t slurring her speech from the running blood. She took away her hand and grabbed Byleth’s. The young emperor squeezed it. “I’m glad that you’re here with me, my teacher. If you weren’t…” her eyes softened. “I think more would’ve died.”

“Edelgard…” Edelgard smiled at her. And when she smiled, oh, she looked so innocent. Byleth squeezed back and smiled. “I’m glad to be here too.”

Despite the bloody conflict they marched on, with Byleth participating in many, she got to see Edelgard smile and inch closer to her goals. Byleth’s smile faltered. Yet she felt like those radiant smiles the older Edelgard had worn was never meant for her. Almost as if she saw someone else in Byleth. The ex-mercenary rubbed her thumb over Edelgard’s gauntlet, her eyes downcast.

Sylvain whistled from behind. “Who ruined your pretty face, Professor?” he said.

Byleth shrugged and turned to him, parting her hold from Edelgard. She pressed the white fabric upon her broken bone and remained silent. Sylvain scratched his bruised cheek. “Well, not like it matters. You probably killed them.” He beat his chest. “And they well deserved it.”

It was a do-or-die situation.

It was war, after all.

“Professor!” Ingrid burst from the other members that approached the group. “Oh— Your nose!”

She hurried to her side without warning and stood in between her and Edelgard. The knight’s hands hovered over her face as she spoke quickly. “Oh no… no, no… Are you going to be okay?” she whispered. Byleth nodded. Ingrid frowned in response and held her face. “We need to get you treated.” She turned to Edelgard. “Do you think we should establish a temporary camp somewhere here?”

Edelgard cupped her chin. Then, after thinking hard, she approached the pegasus rider. “I agree with you. We need to treat the wounded.” She gently tugged Ingrid’s hands off of Byleth and pulled the older woman behind her. Edelgard now stood between the two, her smile still present, albeit forced. “I will make sure the healers take good care of the professor. I think you need to have your injuries looked at, don’t you agree?”

“…very well,” Ingrid said.

She walked past the two females. However, she slowed upon nearing Byleth, whispering, “Meet me by the campfire when you have the chance.”

“?”

Byleth turned to her. But Ingrid had already walked away, commanding her battalions to set up a temporary camp for the night. Sylvain and Ferdinand exchanged looks. They shrugged and headed in the same direction, checking on their allies for further support. That left Shamir alone with the two women. She crossed her arms.

“How long will we be staying?” she asked.

“A week at worst,” Edelgard said. “I wouldn’t want to rush our allies into enemy territory.”

“I see.”

Shamir had nothing else to say to the alumni and left. Finally, Edelgard and Byleth were by themselves, their battalions scampering after the others to work on the camp.

“I wonder how long this war will go on,” Byleth murmured. She looked up to the sky, the sun starting to set, spreading orange from overhead. Her shoulders slumped. ‘ How long must this nightmare go on for…? ‘

“Professor?”

She looked. Edelgard stared at her with arched brows. Byleth’s eyes crinkled and patted Edelgard’s arm.

“Let’s go—!?”

Her vision doubled again. The instructor lurched forward. Edelgard’s eyes widened as she caught Byleth.

“Professor! What’s wrong?”

Edelgard’s voice sounded as if she spoke through the water. Byleth frowned within her arms and struggled to stay on her feet. Just as the bloodied handkerchief fell to the ground with a plop, Byleth’s ragged breathing became prominent, her eyes clouding.

She was seeing colors again. Colors that vaguely reminded her of the woods just outside of the monastery. But it was all a blur. Byleth stifled a scream as a hammer struck her over the head. Her student’s calling for her name faded in the background as her pounding headache thumped loud in her ears. Black shadows danced around her vision, Byleth gasping for breath.

**”Byleth.”**

A blurred figure stood before her. Despite the headache that threatened to split her head open, Byleth managed to interpret the blob. The white, the black, the red… Could it be…?

**”My teacher.”**

“El…!”

She blacked out instantly.

**[-----]**

Nightfall came. Scattered from the distance were dead soldiers, yet not too far from it, a camp was built. A few tents were placed up. One for Edelgard, one for the command room, and one for the infirmary. And in the infirmary laid Byleth Eisner.

Many of her old students came to visit the slumbering teacher.

“I-I’m not sure what exactly happened,” Edelgard explained to them. She tilted her head down and sighed. “She suffered from a migraine and passed out in my arms.” The emperor brushed her fingers on the edge of her mattress, frowning. “I’m worried about her.”

“Same with us,” Ferdinand said with a weary smile. “But I’m glad that our healers didn’t die in battle today, lest we have some problems tending to her wounds.”

“Glad that her nose would heal in a week,” Sylvain smiled and crossed his arms behind his head. “I can only hope it doesn’t scar. Her face is too pretty to have any of them.”

“Do you say that about every girl you meet?” Ingrid rolled her eyes. Sylvain shook his head. “No!” he said. “I mean, I don’t ask you or Leonie—”

“Are you telling me that you don’t see us as pretty?” she glared.

He bit his lip and backed away from his friend. “I’m not saying you’re not pretty. You are! I just don’t see you as a woman— OW!” Sylvain was slapped hard by the blonde knight. He rubbed his bandaged cheek with teary eyes. “Why did you have to slap where I was just patched up?”

“I’m not afraid to do so again,” Ingrid reeled her hand behind again, ready to backhand him.

Sylvain immediately got the message. He waved farewell to the group and dashed out of the infirmary tent.

Ferdinand rubbed the back of his neck. “I think we’ve made enough ruckus,” he said. “I’m going to head back outside.” He looked to Edelgard. “We should discuss our plans for tomorrow.”

“Very well.” Edelgard turned to Ingrid. “I think you should also rest tonight. It’s been a long day and tomorrow will not be any easier.”

“Of course,” Ingrid placed a hand over her chest and bowed. “I fully understand.”

There was a pause from the emperor. She glanced at Byleth, then to Ingrid, and back to Byleth again. Her lips drew to a line. She opened her mouth… only to clamp them shut and turn her back towards the knight. Edelgard took her leave after Ferdinand lifted the cloth for her exit. Their soft chatters could be heard about tomorrow’s plan, becoming softer until they were too far away to be heard.

Ingrid relaxed her tense shoulders.

_‘ Lady Edelgard is hardworking as always. ‘_

She turned to Byleth. The other wounded soldiers in the tent were fast asleep, just like Byleth, and they were either snoring or groaning in their dreams. Ingrid got down to her knees. She took Byleth’s hand into hers and pressed them close to her chest.

“Professor…” she whispered. “You’re always so reckless, aren’t you?”

During her time as a student, she recalled the times they went out on operations for the Church of Seiros. These so-called “field trips” that involved murdering bandits and defending the monastery from rebellious factions. Ingrid tried not to think too hard about why they were out on the battlefield for their education. Yet the one thing she always remembered was how Byleth had protected them.

None of her students had ever died on the frontline, and none of them had ever bore afflictions severe enough to send them out of commission.

But Byleth did.

The professor, desperately shielding her students, pushing them out of harm’s way, and taking their blows infuriated some. That some included Ingrid. Ingrid rubbed her thumbs over the back of her hand, faintly smiling.

“I admire you for facing things head-first. Not like me, who is so stubborn and stuck with my ways.”

With anger, she came to respect Byleth. The teacher that protected them on various accounts, the teacher that recruited Ingrid into the Black Eagles, the teacher that sat with Ingrid and taught her everything as a private tutor, the teacher she has a crush on. Her cheeks flushed and Ingrid’s lips trembled.

“You’ve always been there for us… for me,” she said. “Ever since you disappeared after fighting with Lady Rhea, I thought you’d died. I thought losing Glenn would prepare me to face grief, but losing you hurt so much more than I thought…” Ingrid lowered her head and impressed Byleth’s hand against her chest. “I thought I was going to go insane from losing someone that I cared so much for again.”

Ingrid raised her head. Byleth hadn’t stirred from her slumber. The blonde knight chuckled and tucked Byleth’s stray strand behind her ear.

“Look at me now, talking to you while you’re still asleep,” she weakly smiled. “I’m a coward that can’t even tell you how I feel when you’re awake. Just like Dorothea said.” Ingrid proceeded to smooth Byleth’s disheveled hair into their place, her emerald hues never leaving her teacher.

“I want to tell you just how much I’ve fallen in love with you… Byleth.”


End file.
